Verse 1
arjuna uvācha
Arjun said superior
jyāyasī chet karmaṇas te matā buddhir janārdana
if than fruitive action by you is considered intellect he who looks after the public, Krishna then
tat kiṁ karmaṇi ghore māṁ niyojayasi keśhava
why action terrible me do you engage Krishna, the killer of the demon named Keshi
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Verse 2
vyāmiśhreṇeva vākyena buddhiṁ mohayasīva me
by your apparently ambiguous words intellect I am getting bewildered as it were
tad ekaṁ vada niśhchitya yena śhreyo ’ham āpnuyām
my therefore one please tell decisively by which the highest good I
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Verse 3
śhrī bhagavān uvācha
the Blessed Lord said in the world this
loke’smin dvi-vidhā niṣhṭhā purā proktā mayānagha
two kinds of faith previously explained by me (Shree Krishna) sinless
jñāna-yogena sāṅkhyānāṁ karma-yogena yoginām
through the path of knowledge for those inclined toward contemplation through the path of action of the yogis
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Verse 4
na karmaṇām anārambhān naiṣhkarmyaṁ puruṣho ’śhnute
not of actions by abstaining from freedom from karmic reactions a person attains
na cha sannyasanād eva siddhiṁ samadhigachchhati
not and by renunciation only perfection attains
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Verse 5
na hi kaśhchit kṣhaṇam api jātu tiṣhṭhatyakarma-kṛit
not certainly anyone a moment even ever can remain
kāryate hyavaśhaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛiti-jair guṇaiḥ
without action are performed certainly helpless work all
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Verse 6
karmendriyāṇi sanyamya ya āste manasā smaran
the organs of action restrain who remain in the mind to remember
indriyārthān vimūḍhātmā mithyāchāraḥ sa uchyate
sense objects the deluded hypocrite they are called
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Verse 7
yas tvindriyāṇi manasā niyamyārabhate ’rjuna
who but the senses by the mind control
karmendriyaiḥ karma-yogam asaktaḥ sa viśhiṣhyate
begins Arjun by the working senses karm yog without attachment
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Verse 8
niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyo hyakarmaṇaḥ
constantly perform Vedic duties you action superior certainly
śharīra-yātrāpi cha te na prasiddhyed akarmaṇaḥ
than inaction bodily maintenance even and your
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Verse 9
yajñārthāt karmaṇo ’nyatra loko ’yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ
for the sake of sacrifice than action else material world this bondage through one’s work
tad-arthaṁ karma kaunteya mukta-saṅgaḥ samāchara
that for the sake of action Arjun, the son of Kunti free from attachment
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Verse 10
saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛiṣhṭvā purovācha prajāpatiḥ
along with sacrifices humankind created in beginning
anena prasaviṣhyadhvam eṣha vo ’stviṣhṭa-kāma-dhuk
said Brahma by this increase prosperity these
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Verse 11
devān bhāvayatānena te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ
celestial gods will be pleased by these (sacrifices) those celestial gods will be pleased
parasparaṁ bhāvayantaḥ śhreyaḥ param avāpsyatha
you one another pleasing one another prosperity the supreme
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Verse 12
iṣhṭān bhogān hi vo devā dāsyante yajña-bhāvitāḥ
desired necessities of life certainly unto you the celestial gods will grant satisfied by sacrifice
tair dattān apradāyaibhyo yo bhuṅkte stena eva saḥ
by them things granted without offering to them who enjoys thieves verily
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Verse 13
yajña-śhiṣhṭāśhinaḥ santo muchyante sarva-kilbiṣhaiḥ
of remnants of food offered in sacrifice eaters saintly persons are released
bhuñjate te tvaghaṁ pāpā ye pachantyātma-kāraṇāt
all kinds of from sins enjoy they but sins
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Verse 14
annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ
from food subsist living beings from rains of food grains
yajñād bhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ
production from the performance of sacrifice becomes possible rain performance of sacrifice
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Verse 15
karma brahmodbhavaṁ viddhi brahmākṣhara-samudbhavam
duties in the Vedas manifested you should know
tasmāt sarva-gataṁ brahma nityaṁ yajñe pratiṣhṭhitam
The Vedas from the Imperishable (God) directly manifested therefore all-pervading The Lord
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Verse 16
evaṁ pravartitaṁ chakraṁ nānuvartayatīha yaḥ
thus set into motion cycle not follow
aghāyur indriyārāmo moghaṁ pārtha sa jīvati
in this life who sinful living for the delight of their senses vainly Arjun, the son of Pritha
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Verse 17
yas tvātma-ratir eva syād ātma-tṛiptaśh cha mānavaḥ
who but rejoice in the self certainly is self-satisfied and
ātmanyeva cha santuṣhṭas tasya kāryaṁ na vidyate
human being in the self certainly and satisfied his duty
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Verse 18
naiva tasya kṛitenārtho nākṛiteneha kaśhchana
not indeed his by discharge of duty gain
na chāsya sarva-bhūteṣhu kaśhchid artha-vyapāśhrayaḥ
not without discharge of duty here whatsoever never
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Verse 19
tasmād asaktaḥ satataṁ kāryaṁ karma samāchara
therefore without attachment constantly duty action perform
asakto hyācharan karma param āpnoti pūruṣhaḥ
unattached certainly performing work the Supreme attains
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Verse 20
karmaṇaiva hi sansiddhim āsthitā janakādayaḥ
by the performance of prescribed duties only certainly perfection attained
loka-saṅgraham evāpi sampaśhyan kartum arhasi
King Janak and other kings for the welfare of the masses only considering to perform
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Verse 21
yad yad ācharati śhreṣhṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ
whatever does the best that (alone) certainly common people they
sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute lokas tad anuvartate
whichever standard perform world that pursues
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Verse 22
na me pārthāsti kartavyaṁ triṣhu lokeṣhu kiñchana
not mine Arjun is duty in the three worlds
nānavāptam avāptavyaṁ varta eva cha karmaṇi
any not to be attained to be gained I am engaged yet
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Verse 23
yadi hyahaṁ na varteyaṁ jātu karmaṇyatandritaḥ
if certainly I not thus engage ever
mama vartmānuvartante manuṣhyāḥ pārtha sarvaśhaḥ
in the performance of prescribed duties carefully my path follow
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Verse 24
utsīdeyur ime lokā na kuryāṁ karma ched aham
would perish all these worlds not I perform prescribed duties if I
sankarasya cha kartā syām upahanyām imāḥ prajāḥ
of uncultured population and responsible would be would destroy all these living entities
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Verse 25
saktāḥ karmaṇyavidvānso yathā kurvanti bhārata
attached duties the ignorant as much as act
kuryād vidvāns tathāsaktaśh chikīrṣhur loka-saṅgraham
scion of Bharat (Arjun) should do the wise thus unattached
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Verse 26
na buddhi-bhedaṁ janayed ajñānāṁ karma-saṅginām
not discord in the intellects should create of the ignorant who are attached to fruitive actions
joṣhayet sarva-karmāṇi vidvān yuktaḥ samācharan
should inspire (them) to perform all prescribed the wise enlightened
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Verse 27
prakṛiteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśhaḥ
of material nature carried out by the three modes activities all kinds of
ahankāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate
those who are bewildered by the ego and misidentify themselves with the body the doer I thus
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Verse 28
tattva-vit tu mahā-bāho guṇa-karma-vibhāgayoḥ
the knower of the Truth but mighty-armed one from guṇas and karma
guṇā guṇeṣhu vartanta iti matvā na sajjate
distinguish modes of material nature in the shape of the senses, mind, etc modes of material nature in the shape of objects of perception are engaged thus knowing never
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Verse 29
prakṛiter guṇa-sammūḍhāḥ sajjante guṇa-karmasu
of material nature by the modes of material nature deluded become attached
tān akṛitsna-vido mandān kṛitsna-vin na vichālayet
to results of actions those persons without knowledge the ignorant persons with knowledge should not unsettle
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Verse 30
mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi sannyasyādhyātma-chetasā
unto me all works renouncing completely
nirāśhīr nirmamo bhūtvā yudhyasva vigata-jvaraḥ
with the thoughts resting on God free from hankering for the results of the actions without ownership so being fight
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Verse 31
ye me matam idaṁ nityam anutiṣhṭhanti mānavāḥ
who my teachings these constantly abide by human beings
śhraddhāvanto ’nasūyanto muchyante te ’pi karmabhiḥ
with profound faith free from cavilling become free those also from the bondage of karma
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Verse 32
ye tvetad abhyasūyanto nānutiṣhṭhanti me matam
those but this cavilling not follow
sarva-jñāna-vimūḍhāns tān viddhi naṣhṭān achetasaḥ
my teachings in all types of knowledge deluded they are
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Verse 33
sadṛiśhaṁ cheṣhṭate svasyāḥ prakṛiter jñānavān api
accordingly act by their own modes of nature the wise even
prakṛitiṁ yānti bhūtāni nigrahaḥ kiṁ kariṣhyati
nature follow all living beings repression what will do
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Verse 34
indriyasyendriyasyārthe rāga-dveṣhau vyavasthitau
of the senses in the sense objects attachment
tayor na vaśham āgachchhet tau hyasya paripanthinau
aversion situated of them never be controlled should become those
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Verse 35
śhreyān swa-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣhṭhitāt
better personal duty tinged with faults than another’s prescribed duties perfectly done
swa-dharme nidhanaṁ śhreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ
in one’s personal duties death better duties prescribed for others fraught with fear
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Verse 36
arjuna uvācha
Arjun said then
atha kena prayukto ’yaṁ pāpaṁ charati pūruṣhaḥ
by what impelled one sins commit a person unwillingly
anichchhann api vārṣhṇeya balād iva niyojitaḥ
even he who belongs to the Vrishni clan, Shree Krishna by force as if engaged
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Verse 37
śhrī bhagavān uvācha
the Supreme Lord said desire this
kāma eṣha krodha eṣha rajo-guṇa-samudbhavaḥ
wrath this the mode of passion born of all-devouring
mahāśhano mahā-pāpmā viddhyenam iha vairiṇam
greatly sinful know this in the material world the enemy
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Verse 38
dhūmenāvriyate vahnir yathādarśho malena cha
by smoke is covered fire just as mirror
yatholbenāvṛito garbhas tathā tenedam āvṛitam
by dust also just as by the womb is covered
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Verse 39
āvṛitaṁ jñānam etena jñānino nitya-vairiṇā
covered knowledge by this of the wise by the perpetual enemy
kāma-rūpeṇa kaunteya duṣhpūreṇānalena cha
in the form of desires Arjun the son of Kunti insatiable like fire
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Verse 40
indriyāṇi mano buddhir asyādhiṣhṭhānam uchyate
the senses the mind the intellect of this dwelling place
etair vimohayatyeṣha jñānam āvṛitya dehinam
are said to be by these deludes this knowledge
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Verse 41
tasmāt tvam indriyāṇyādau niyamya bharatarṣhabha
therefore you senses in the very beginning having controlled
pāpmānaṁ prajahi hyenaṁ jñāna-vijñāna-nāśhanam
Arjun, the best of the Bharatas the sinful slay certainly
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Verse 42
indriyāṇi parāṇyāhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ
senses superior are said than the senses superior
manasas tu parā buddhir yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ
the mind than the mind but superior intellect who than the intellect more superior but
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Verse 43
evaṁ buddheḥ paraṁ buddhvā sanstabhyātmānam ātmanā
thus than the intellect superior knowing subdue the lower self (senses, mind, and intellect)
jahi śhatruṁ mahā-bāho kāma-rūpaṁ durāsadam
by higher self (soul) kill the enemy mighty-armed one in the form of desire
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