Verse 1
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha
the Supreme Lord Shree Krishna said
imam vivasvate yogam proktavān aham avyayam
this to the Sun-god the science of Yog taught I eternal
vivasvān manave prāha manuḥ ikṣhvākave abravīt
Sun-god to Manu, the original progenitor of humankind told Manu to Ikshvaku, first king of the Solar dynasty instructed
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Verse 2
evam paramparā prāptam imam rāja-ṛiṣhayaḥ viduḥ
thus in a continuous tradition received this (science) the saintly kings understood
saḥ kālena iha mahatā yogaḥ naṣhṭaḥ parantapa
that with the long passage of time in this world great the science of Yog lost Arjun, the scorcher of foes
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Verse 3
saḥ eva ayam mayā te adya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ
that certainly this by me unto you today the science of Yog reveal ancient
bhaktaḥ asi me sakhā cha iti rahasyam hi etat uttamam
devotee you are my friend and therefore secret certainly this supreme
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Verse 4
arjunaḥ uvācha
Arjun said
aparam bhavataḥ janma param janma vivasvataḥ
later your birth prior birth Vivasvan, the sun-god
katham etat vijānīyām tvam ādau proktavān iti
how this am I to understand you in the beginning taught thus
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Verse 5
śhrī-bhagavān uvācha
the Supreme Lord said
bahūni me vyatītāni janmāni tava cha arjuna
many of mine have passed births of yours and Arjun
tāni aham veda sarvāṇi na tvam vettha parantapa
them I know all not you know Arjun, the scorcher of foes
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Verse 6
ajaḥ api san avyaya ātmā bhūtānām īśhvaraḥ api san
unborn although being so Imperishable nature of (all) beings the Lord although being
prakṛitim svām adhiṣhṭhāya sambhavāmi ātma-māyayā
nature of myself situated I manifest by my Yogmaya power
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Verse 7
yadā yadā hi dharmasya glāniḥ bhavati bhārata
whenever certainly of righteousness decline is Arjun, descendant of Bharat
abhyutthānam adharmasya tadā ātmānam sṛijāmi aham
increase of unrighteousness at that time self manifest I
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Verse 8
paritrāṇāya sādhūnām vināśhāya cha duṣhkṛitām
to protect the righteous to annihilate and the wicked
dharma sansthāpana-arthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge
the eternal religion to reestablish I appear age after age
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Verse 9
janma karma cha me divyam evam yaḥ vetti tattvataḥ
birth activities and of mine divine thus who know in truth
tyaktvā deham punaḥ janma na eti mām eti saḥ arjuna
having abandoned the body again birth never takes to me comes he Arjun
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Verse 10
vīta rāga bhaya krodhāḥ mat-mayā mām upāśhritāḥ
freed from attachment fear and anger completely absorbed in me in me taking refuge (of)
bahavaḥ jñāna tapasā pūtāḥ mat-bhāvam āgatāḥ
many (persons) of knowledge by the fire of knowledge purified my divine love attained
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Verse 11
ye yathā mām prapadyante tān tathā eva bhajāmi aham
who in whatever way unto me surrender them so certainly reciprocate I
mama vartma anuvartante manuṣhyāḥ pārtha sarvaśhaḥ
my path follow men Arjun, the son of Pritha in all respects
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Verse 12
kāṅkṣhantaḥ karmaṇām siddhim yajante iha devatāḥ
desiring material activities success worship in this world the celestial gods
kṣhipram hi mānuṣhe loke siddhiḥ bhavati karma-jā
quickly certainly in human society within this world rewarding manifest from material activities
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Verse 13
chātuḥ-varṇyam mayā sṛiṣhṭam guṇa karma vibhāgaśhaḥ
the four categories of occupations by me were created of quality and activities according to divisions
tasya kartāram api mām viddhi akartāram avyayam
of that the creator although me know non-doer unchangeable
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Verse 14
na mām karmāṇi limpanti na me karma-phale spṛihā
not me activities taint nor my the fruits of action desire
iti mām yaḥ abhijānāti karmabhiḥ na saḥ badhyate
thus me who knows result of action never that person is bound
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Verse 15
evam jñātvā kṛitam karma pūrvaiḥ api mumukṣhubhiḥ
thus knowing performed actions of ancient times indeed seekers of liberation
kuru karma eva tasmāt tvam pūrvaiḥ pūrva-taram kṛitam
should perform duty certainly therefore you of those ancient sages in ancient times performed
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Verse 16
kim karma kim akarma iti kavayaḥ api atra mohitāḥ
what action what inaction thus the wise even in this are confused
tat te karma pravakṣhyāmi yat jñātvā mokṣhyase aśhubhāt
that to you action I shall explain which knowing you may free yourself from inauspiciousness
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Verse 17
karmaṇaḥ hi api boddhavyam boddhavyam cha vikarmaṇaḥ
recommended action certainly also should be known must understand and forbidden action
akarmaṇaḥ cha boddhavyam gahanā karmaṇaḥ gatiḥ
inaction and must understand profound of action the true path
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Verse 18
karmaṇi akarma yaḥ paśhyet akarmaṇi cha karma yaḥ
action in inaction who see inaction also action who
saḥ buddhi-mān manuṣhyeṣhu saḥ yuktaḥ kṛitsna-karma-kṛit
they wise amongst humans they yogis performers all kinds of actions
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Verse 19
yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāma saṅkalpa varjitāḥ
whose every undertakings desire for material pleasures resolve devoid of
jñāna agni dagdha karmāṇam tam āhuḥ paṇḍitam budhāḥ
divine knowledge in the fire burnt actions him address a sage the wise
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Verse 20
tyaktvā karma-phala-āsaṅgam nitya tṛiptaḥ nirāśhrayaḥ
having given up attachment to the fruits of action always satisfied without dependence
karmaṇi abhipravṛittaḥ api na eva kiñchit karoti saḥ
in activities engaged despite not certainly anything do that person
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Verse 21
nirāśhīḥ yata chitta-ātmā tyakta sarva parigrahaḥ
free from expectations controlled mind and intellect having abandoned all the sense of ownership
śhārīram kevalam karma kurvan na āpnoti kilbiṣham
bodily only actions performing never incurs sin
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Verse 22
yadṛichchhā lābha santuṣhṭaḥ dvandva atītaḥ vimatsaraḥ
which comes of its own accord gain contented duality surpassed free from envy
samaḥ siddhau asiddhau cha kṛitvā api na nibadhyate
equipoised in success failure and performing even never is bound
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Verse 23
gata-saṅgasya muktasya jñāna-avasthita chetasaḥ
free from material attachments of the liberated established in divine knowledge whose intellect
yajñāya ācharataḥ karma samagram pravilīyate
as a sacrifice (to God) performing action completely are freed
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Verse 24
brahma arpaṇam brahma haviḥ brahma agnau brahmaṇā hutam
Brahman the ladle and other offerings Brahman the oblation Brahman in the sacrificial fire by that person offered
brahma eva tena gantavyam brahma karma samādhinā
Brahman certainly by that to be attained Brahman offering those completely absorbed in God-consciousness
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Verse 25
daivam eva apare yajñam yoginaḥ paryupāsate
the celestial gods indeed others sacrifice spiritual practioners worship
brahma agnau apare yajñam yajñena eva upajuhvati
of the Supreme Truth in the fire others sacrifice by sacrifice indeed offer
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Verse 26
śhrotra-ādīni indriyāṇi anye sanyama agniṣhu juhvati
such as the hearing process senses others restraint in the sacrficial fire sacrifice
śhabda-ādīn viṣhayān anye indriya agniṣhu juhvati
sound vibration, etc objects of sense-gratification others of the senses in the fire sacrifice
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Verse 27
sarvāṇi indriya karmāṇi prāṇa-karmāṇi cha apare
all the senses functions functions of the life breath and others
ātma-sanyama yogāgnau juhvati jñāna-dīpite
in the fire of the controlled mind sacrifice kindled by knowledge
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Verse 28
dravya-yajñāḥ tapaḥ-yajñāḥ yoga-yajñāḥ tathā apare
offering one’s own wealth as sacrifice offering severe austerities as sacrifice performance of eight-fold path of yogic practices as sacrifice thus others
swādhyāya jñāna-yajñāḥ cha yatayaḥ sanśhita-vratāḥ
cultivating knowledge by studying the scriptures those offer cultivation of transcendental knowledge as sacrifice also these ascetics observing strict vows
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Verse 29
apāne juhvati prāṇam prāṇe apānam tathā apare
the incoming breath offer the outgoing breath in the outgoing breath incoming breath also others
prāṇa apāna gatī ruddhvā prāṇa-āyāma parāyaṇāḥ
of the outgoing breath and the incoming breath movement blocking control of breath wholly devoted
apare niyata āhārāḥ prāṇān prāṇeṣhu juhvati
others having controlled food intake life-breaths life-energy sacrifice
sarve api ete yajña-vidaḥ yajña-kṣhapita kalmaṣhāḥ
all also these knowers of sacrifices being cleansed by performances of sacrifices of impurities
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Verse 30
apare niyata āhārāḥ prāṇān prāṇeṣu
others controlled eating outgoing air in the outgoing air
sarve api ete yajñavidaḥ yajña kṣapita kalmaṣāḥ juhvati
all although apparently different all these conversant with the purpose of performing sacrifices being cleansed of the result of such performances sinful reactions sacrifices.
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Verse 31
yajña-śhiṣhṭa amṛita-bhujaḥ yānti brahma sanātanam
they partake of the nectarean remnants of sacrifice go the Absolute Truth eternal
na ayam lokaḥ asti ayajñasya kutaḥ anyaḥ kuru-sat-tama
never this planet is for one who performs no sacrifice how other (world) best of the Kurus, Arjun
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Verse 32
evam bahu-vidhāḥ yajñāḥ vitatāḥ brahmaṇaḥ mukhe
thus various kinds of sacrifices have been described of the Vedas through the mouth
karma-jān viddhi tān sarvān evam jñātvā vimokṣhyase
originating from works know them all thus having known you shall be liberated
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Verse 33
śhreyān dravya-mayāt yajñāt jñāna-yajñaḥ parantapa
superior of material possessions than the sacrifice sacrifice performed in knowledge subduer of enemies, Arjun
sarvam karma akhilam pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate
all works all Arjun, the son of Pritha in knowledge culminate
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Verse 34
tat viddhi praṇipātena paripraśhnena sevayā
the Truth try to learn by approaching a spiritual master by humble inquiries by rendering service
upadekṣhyanti te jñānam jñāninaḥ tattva-darśhinaḥ
can impart unto you knowledge the enlightened those who have realized the Truth
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Verse 35
yat jñātvā na punaḥ moham evam yāsyasi pāṇḍava
which having known never again delusion like this you shall get Arjun, the son of Pandu
yena bhūtāni aśheṣhāṇi drakṣhyasi ātmani atho mayi
by this living beings all you will see within me (Shree Krishna) that is to say in me
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Verse 36
api chet asi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpa-kṛit-tamaḥ
even if you are sinners of all most sinful
sarvam jñāna-plavena eva vṛijinam santariṣhyasi
all by the boat of divine knowledge certainly sin you shall cross over
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Verse 37
yathā edhānsi samiddhaḥ agniḥ bhasma-sāt kurute arjuna
as firewood blazing fire to ashes turns Arjun
jñāna-agniḥ sarva-karmāṇi bhasma-sāt kurute tathā
the fire of knowledge all reactions from material activities to ashes it turns similarly
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Verse 38
na hi jñānena sadṛiśham pavitram iha vidyate
not certainly with divine knowledge like pure in this world exists
tat svayam yoga sansiddhaḥ kālena ātmani vindati
that oneself practice of yog he who has attained perfection in course of time wihtin the heart finds
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Verse 39
śhraddhā-vān labhate jñānam tat-paraḥ sanyata indriyaḥ
a faithful person achieves divine knowledge devoted (to that) controlled senses
jñānam labdhvā parām śhāntim achireṇa adhigachchhati
transcendental knowledge having achieved supreme peace without delay attains
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Verse 40
ajñaḥ cha aśhraddadhānaḥ cha sanśhaya ātmā vinaśhyati
the ignorant and without faith and skeptical a person falls down
na ayam lokaḥ asti na paraḥ na sukham sanśhaya-ātmanaḥ
never in this world is not in the next not happiness for the skeptical soul
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Verse 41
yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇam jñāna sañchhinna sanśhayam
those who renounce ritualistic karm, dedicating their body, mind, and soul to God by knowledge dispelled doubts
ātma-vantam na karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya
situated in knowledge of the self not actions bind Arjun, the conqueror of wealth
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Verse 42
tasmāt ajñāna-sambhūtam hṛit-stham jñāna asinā ātmanaḥ
therefore born of ignorance situated in the heart of knowledge with the sword of the self
chhittvā enam sanśhayam yogam ātiṣhṭha uttiṣhṭha bhārata
cut asunder this doubt in karm yog take shelter arise Arjun, descendant of Bharat
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