The Gita on renunciation of the externalized senses

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Bhagavad Gita

>From Chapter VI: The Yoga of Meditation

 

SRI BHAGAVAAN UVAACHA:

VI.1. ANAASHRITAH KARMAPHALAM KAARYAM KARMA KAROTI

YAH;

SA SANNYAASI CHA YOGEE CHA NA NIRAGNIRNA

CHAAKRIYAH.

 

The Blessed Lord said:

He who performs his bounden duty without depending on the

fruits of his actions-he is a Sannyasin and a Yogi, not he

who is without fire and without action.

 

VI.2. YAM SANNYAASAMITI PRAAHURYOGAM TAM VIDDHI

PAANDAVA;

NA HYASANNYASTASANKALPO YOGEE BHAVATI KASHCHANA.

Do thou, O Arjuna, know Yoga to be that which they call

renunciation; no one verily becomes a Yogi who has not

renounced thoughts!

 

COMMENTARY: Lord Krishna eulogises Karma Yoga here

because it is a means or a stepping stone to the Yoga of

meditation. In order to encourage the practice of Karma Yoga it is

stated here that it is Sannyasa.

 

 

VI.3. AARURUKSHORMUNERYOGAM KARMA

KAARANAMUCHYATE;

YOGAAROODHASYA TASYAIVA SHAMAH KAARANAMUCHYATE.

 

(Krishna speaking to Arjuna)

For a sage who wishes to attain to Yoga, action is said

to be the means; for the same sage who has attained to Yoga,

inaction (quiescence) is said to be the means.

 

VI.4. YADAA HI NENDRIYAARTHESHU NA

KARMASWANUSHAJJATE;

SARVASANKALPASANNYAASEE YOGAAROODHAS

TADOCHYATE.

When a man is not attached to the sense-objects or to

actions, having renounced all thoughts, then he is said

to have attained to Yoga.

 

 

VI.5. UDDHAREDAATMANAATMAANAM

NAATMAANAMAVASAADAYET;

ATMAIVA HYAATMANO BANDHURAATMAIVA RIPURAATMANAH.

 

(Krishna speaking to Arjuna)

Let a man lift himself by his own Self alone; let him not

lower himself, for this self alone is the friend of oneself

and this self alone is the enemy of oneself.

 

VI.6. BANDHURAATMAA'TMANASTASYA YENAATMAIVAATMANAA

JITAH;

ANAATMANASTU SHATRUTWE VARTETAATMAIVA SHATRUVAT.

The self is the friend of the self for him who has conquered

himself by the Self, but to the unconquered self, this self

stands in the position of an enemy like the (external) foe.

 

VI.7. JITAATMANAH PRASHAANTASYA PARAMAATMAA

SAMAAHITAH;

SHEETOSHNA SUKHA DUHKHESHU TATHAA

MAANAAPAMAANAYOH.

 

(Krishna speaking to Arjuna)

The Supreme Self of him who is self-controlled and peaceful

is balanced in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, as also

in honour and dishonour.

 

VI.8. JNAANA VIJNAANA TRIPTAATMAA KOOTASTHO

VIJITENDRIYAH;

YUKTAH ITYUCHYATE YOGEE

SAMALOSHTAASHMAKAANCHANAH.

The Yogi who is satisfied with the knowledge and the wisdom

(of the Self), who has conquered the senses, and to whom a

clod of earth, a piece of stone and gold are the same, is

said to be harmonised (that is, is said to have attained

the state of Nirvikalpa Samadhi).