Chapter 6

Krishna. Therefore, who doeth work rightful to do, Not seeking gain from work, that man, O Prince! Is Sanyasi and Yogi--both in one And he is neither who lights not the flame Of sacrifice, nor setteth hand to task.

Krishna. Therefore, whoever does his duty, without seeking gain from his work, O Prince, is both a Sanyasi and a Yogi. But a man is neither merely because he does not light the sacrificial flame or do any work.

Regard as true Renouncer him that makes Worship by work, for who renounceth not Works not as Yogin. So is that well said: "By works the votary doth rise to faith, And saintship is the ceasing from all works; Because the perfect Yogin acts--but acts Unmoved by passions and unbound by deeds, Setting result aside.

Consider anyone who worships through work a true Renouncer. For anyone who does not renounce does not act as a Yogin. So it is well said: "Through work, the worshipper rises to faith, And holiness means ceasing all work. Because the perfect Yogin acts, but acts Without being driven by passions or bound by deeds, Setting the outcome aside.

Let each man raise The Self by Soul, not trample down his Self, Since Soul that is Self's friend may grow Self's foe. Soul is Self's friend when Self doth rule o'er Self, But Self turns enemy if Soul's own self Hates Self as not itself.¹⁰

Let each man lift up his Self through his Soul, not crush his Self. For the Soul, the Self's friend, may become the Self's enemy. The Soul is the Self's friend when the Self controls itself. But the Self becomes an enemy if the Soul's own self hates the Self as something other than itself.¹⁰

The sovereign soul Of him who lives self-governed and at peace Is centred in itself, taking alike Pleasure and pain; heat, cold; glory and shame. He is the Yogi, he is Yukta, glad With joy of light and truth; dwelling apart Upon a peak, with senses subjugate Whereto the clod, the rock, the glistering gold Show all as one. By this sign is he known Being of equal grace to comrades, friends, Chance-comers, strangers, lovers, enemies, Aliens and kinsmen; loving all alike, Evil or good.

The soul is master of itself In a man who lives with self-control and peace. His soul rests within itself, accepting equally Pleasure and pain, heat and cold, honor and shame. He is the Yogi, he is Yukta, filled With the joy of insight and truth. He lives apart On a mountain peak, with his senses under control. To him, a lump of earth, a rock, and shining gold Are all the same. He is known by this sign: He shows equal kindness to companions, friends, People he happens to meet, strangers, loved ones, enemies, Outsiders and relatives. He loves everyone equally, Whether good or evil.

Sequestered should he sit, Steadfastly meditating, solitary, His thoughts controlled, his passions laid away, Quit of belongings. In a fair, still spot Having his fixed abode,--not too much raised, Nor yet too low,--let him abide, his goods A cloth, a deerskin, and the Kusa-grass. There, setting hard his mind upon The One, Restraining heart and senses, silent, calm, Let him accomplish Yoga, and achieve Pureness of soul, holding immovable Body and neck and head, his gaze absorbed Upon his nose-end,¹¹ rapt from all around, Tranquil in spirit, free of fear, intent Upon his Brahmacharya vow, devout, Musing on Me, lost in the thought of Me. That Yojin, so devoted, so controlled, Comes to the peace beyond,--My peace, the peace Of high Nirvana!

He should sit in seclusion, Alone, meditating steadily, His thoughts controlled, his passions set aside, Free of possessions. In a pleasant, quiet place, He should make a fixed seat, neither too high Nor too low. He should remain there with only A cloth, a deerskin, and Kusa-grass. There, he should focus his mind firmly on The One, Controlling his heart and senses, silent and calm. He should practice Yoga to achieve Purity of soul. He should hold still His body, neck, and head, fixing his gaze On the tip of his nose,¹¹ unaware of his surroundings. He should be peaceful in spirit, free from fear, Faithful to his Brahmacharya vow, and devoted, Meditating on me, absorbed in thoughts of me. The Yojin, so devoted and self-controlled, Reaches the peace beyond, my peace, The peace of supreme Nirvana!

But for earthly needs Religion is not his who too much fasts Or too much feasts, nor his who sleeps away An idle mind; nor his who wears to waste His strength in vigils. Nay, Arjuna! call That the true piety which most removes Earth-aches and ills, where one is moderate In eating and in resting, and in sport; Measured in wish and act; sleeping betimes, Waking betimes for duty.

But when it comes to earthly needs, religion is not for those who fast too much or feast too much, or sleep away their idle hours. Nor is it for those who wear out their strength by staying awake. No, Arjuna! Call the devotion that does most to relieve earthly pain and suffering true devotion. Such devotion means moderation in eating, resting, and recreation, restraint in desire and action, going to sleep at the right time, and waking at the right time for duty.

When the man, So living, centres on his soul the thought Straitly restrained--untouched internally By stress of sense--then is he Yukta. See! Steadfast a lamp burns sheltered from the wind; Such is the likeness of the Yogi's mind Shut from sense-storms and burning bright to Heaven. When mind broods placid, soothed with holy wont; When Self contemplates self, and in itself Hath comfort; when it knows the nameless joy Beyond all scope of sense, revealed to soul-- Only to soul! and, knowing, wavers not, True to the farther Truth; when, holding this, It deems no other treasure comparable, But, harboured there, cannot be stirred or shook By any gravest grief, call that state "peace," That happy severance Yoga; call that man The perfect Yogin!

When a man lives this way, Focusing his firmly controlled thoughts on his soul, Untouched within By the pressures of the senses, he is Yukta. Look! A lamp burns steadily when sheltered from the wind. So does the Yogi's mind, Protected from the storms of the senses and shining brightly toward Heaven. When the mind grows calm through steady spiritual practice, When the Self contemplates itself And finds comfort within, when it knows the indescribable joy Beyond the reach of all the senses, revealed to the soul, And to the soul alone! When, knowing this joy, he remains steady, Faithful to the higher Truth, when, possessing this joy, He considers no other treasure equal, And, sheltered in this joy, cannot be shaken By even the deepest grief, call this state "peace," Call this joyful separation from suffering Yoga. Call this man The perfect Yogin!

Steadfastly the will Must toil thereto, till efforts end in ease, And thought has passed from thinking. Shaking off All longings bred by dreams of fame and gain, Shutting the doorways of the senses close With watchful ward; so, step by step, it comes To gift of peace assured and heart assuaged, When the mind dwells self-wrapped, and the soul broods Cumberless. But, as often as the heart Breaks--wild and wavering--from control, so oft Let him re-curb it, let him rein it back To the soul's governance; for perfect bliss Grows only in the bosom tranquillised, The spirit passionless, purged from offence, Vowed to the Infinite. He who thus vows His soul to the Supreme Soul, quitting sin, Passes unhindered to the endless bliss Of unity with Brahma. He so vowed, So blended, sees the Life-Soul resident In all things living, and all living things In that Life-Soul contained. And whoso thus Discerneth Me in all, and all in Me, I never let him go; nor looseneth he Hold upon Me; but, dwell he where he may, Whate'er his life, in Me he dwells and lives, Because he knows and worships Me, Who dwell In all which lives, and cleaves to Me in all. Arjuna! if a man sees everywhere-- Taught by his own similitude--one Life, One Essence in the Evil and the Good, Hold him a Yogi, yea! well-perfected!

The will must work steadily Toward this goal, until effort becomes ease, And thought moves beyond thinking. Let go of All desires born from dreams of fame and gain. Keep the doors of the senses firmly closed And carefully guarded. So, step by step, Lasting peace comes, and the heart finds comfort. The mind rests within itself, and the soul rests Free of burdens. But whenever the heart Wanders out of control, restless and unsteady, Bring it under control again. Guide it back Under the soul's direction. For perfect bliss Grows only in a peaceful heart, In a spirit free from passion and wrongdoing, Devoted to the Infinite. Whoever devotes His soul to the Supreme Soul, leaving sin behind, Passes without hindrance into the endless bliss Of union with Brahma. A person so devoted, So united, sees the Life-Soul dwelling In all living things, and all living things Contained in the Life-Soul. And whoever Sees me in all things, and all things in me, I never let him go, nor does he loosen His hold on me. Wherever he may live, Whatever his life may be, he lives and dwells in me, Because he knows and worships me. I dwell In all living things, and he holds to me in all. Arjuna! If a man sees everywhere, Through his likeness to others, one Life, One Essence in both Evil and Good, Know him as a Yogi, truly perfected!

Arjuna. Slayer of Madhu! yet again, this Yog, This Peace, derived from equanimity, Made known by thee--I see no fixity Therein, no rest, because the heart of men Is unfixed, Krishna! rash, tumultuous, Wilful and strong. It were all one, I think, To hold the wayward wind, as tame man's heart.

Arjuna. Slayer of Madhu! This Yog, this peace That comes from an even mind, as you taught it, Still seems unstable to me. I see no rest In this Yog, because the human heart, Krishna, Is restless, reckless, turbulent, Stubborn and strong. I think taming the human heart Would be just as hard as holding back the wayward wind.

Krishna. Hero long-armed! beyond denial, hard Man's heart is to restrain, and wavering; Yet may it grow restrained by habit, Prince! By wont of self-command. This Yog, I say, Cometh not lightly to th' ungoverned ones; But he who will be master of himself Shall win it, if he stoutly strive thereto.

Krishna. Long-armed hero! There is no denying that the human heart is restless and hard to control. Yet, Prince, the heart may be trained through practice, through the habit of self-control. This Yog, I say, does not come easily to those who lack self-control. But anyone determined to master himself will achieve Yog if he strives with resolve.

Arjuna. And what road goeth he who, having faith, Fails, Krishna! in the striving; falling back From holiness, missing the perfect rule? Is he not lost, straying from Brahma's light, Like the vain cloud, which floats 'twixt earth and heaven When lightning splits it, and it vanisheth? Fain would I hear thee answer me herein, Since, Krishna! none save thou can clear the doubt.

Arjuna. What path awaits someone who has faith But fails in his efforts, Krishna, falling back From holiness and failing to reach perfection? Is he not lost, wandering from Brahma's light, Like a cloud drifting aimlessly between earth and heaven That vanishes when lightning splits it? I long to hear your answer to this question, Since, Krishna, only you can clear my doubt.

Krishna. He is not lost, thou Son of Pritha! No! Nor earth, nor heaven is forfeit, even for him, Because no heart that holds one right desire Treadeth the road of loss! He who should fail, Desiring righteousness, cometh at death Unto the Region of the Just; dwells there Measureless years, and being born anew, Beginneth life again in some fair home Amid the mild and happy. It may chance He doth descend into a Yogin house On Virtue's breast; but that is rare! Such birth Is hard to be obtained on this earth, Chief! So hath he back again what heights of heart He did achieve, and so he strives anew To perfectness, with better hope, dear Prince! For by the old desire he is drawn on Unwittingly; and only to desire The purity of Yog is to pass Beyond the Sabdabrahm, the spoken Ved. But, being Yogi, striving strong and long, Purged from transgressions, perfected by births Following on births, he plants his feet at last Upon the farther path. Such as one ranks Above ascetics, higher than the wise, Beyond achievers of vast deeds! Be thou Yogi Arjuna! And of such believe, Truest and best is he who worships Me With inmost soul, stayed on My Mystery!

Krishna. He is not lost, Son of Pritha! No! He loses neither earth nor heaven, Because no heart with even one good desire Follows the road to ruin! Whoever falls short While seeking righteousness goes at death To the Region of the Just. He lives there For countless years. Then, born again, He begins a new life in a good home Among gentle, happy people. He may instead Be born into a Yogin household, Nurtured by Virtue. But such a birth is rare! Such a birth is hard to gain on earth, Chief! He then regains the spiritual heights He reached before, and so he strives again For perfection, with greater hope, dear Prince! For his old desire draws him onward Without his knowing. Even the desire For the purity of Yog takes him Beyond the Sabdabrahm, the spoken Ved. But as a Yogi, striving hard and long, Cleansed of wrongdoing and perfected through births Following births, he finally sets foot On the farther path. Such a person ranks Above ascetics, higher than the wise, And above those who achieve great deeds! Be a Yogi, Arjuna! And among Yogis, know The truest and best is one who worships me With his deepest soul, resting in my Mystery!

HERE ENDETH CHAPTER VI. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA, Entitled "Atmasanyamayog," Or "The Book of Religion by Self-Restraint."

Here ends Chapter VI of the Bhagavad-Gita, Titled "Atmasanyamayog," Or "The Book of Religion Through Self-Restraint."