BHAGAVAD GITA - THE CANONS OF A PERFECT LIFE

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mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">By Swami Krishnananda The Divine Life Society,

Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, India Be Bold and Not Cowardly - The Blessed Lord

said:

TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l23 level1 lfo1">· Whence is this

perilous strait come upon thee, this dejection which is unworthy of you,

disgraceful, and which will close the gates of heaven upon you, O Arjuna?

(II.2) ·

black; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">Yield not to impotence, O Arjuna, son of

Pritha. It does not befit thee. Cast off this mean weakness of the heart! Stand

Up, O scorcher of the foes! (II.3) Life and Death Mean the Same Thing ·

 

Roman">Thou hast grieved for those that should not be grieved for, yet thou

speakest words of wisdom. The wise grieve neither for the living nor for the

dead. (II.11) The Soul Is Deathless ·

mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">Nor at any time indeed was I not, nor thou, nor

these rulers of men, nor verily shall we ever cease to be hereafter. (II.12) ·

The unreal hath no being; there is no non-being of the real; the truth

about both has been seen by the knower of Reality. (II.16)

Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">· Know That to be Indestructible, by

Which all this is pervaded. None can cause the destruction of That, the

Imperishable. (II.17) · Weapons cut It not, fire burns It not, water

wets It not, wind dries It not. (II.23)

· This Self cannot be cut, burnt, wetted, nor dried up. It is eternal,

all-pervading, stable, immovable and ancient. (II.24) Bear Pain with Courage

· The contacts of the senses with the objects, O son of Kunti, which

cause heat and cold, pleasure and pain, have a beginning and an end; they are

impermanent; endure them bravely, O Arjuna. (II.14) Our Physical

Body Is by Nature Perishable · These bodies of the embodied Self, Which

is eternal, indestructible and immeasurable, are said to have an end. Therefore

fight, O Arjuna. (II.18)

10.0pt">Grief and Sorrow Are Unbecoming · This (Self) is said to be

unmanifested, unthinkable and unchangeable. Therefore, knowing This to be such,

thou shouldst not grieve. (II.25)

10.0pt">Grieve Not for Anyone · This, the Indweller in the body of

everyone, is ever indestructible, O Arjuna; therefore, thou shouldst not grieve

for any creature. (II.30)

10.0pt">Inglorious Life Is Worse than Death · People, too, will recount

thy everlasting dishonour (for having retracted from duty); and to one who has

been honoured, dishonour is worse than death. (II.34)

black; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">Treat Pleasure and Pain As Equal ·

Having made pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat the same,

engage thou in battle (for the sake of duty); thus thou shalt not incur sin.

(II.38)

Roman">In the Performance of Duty, There Is No Loss of Any Kind · In

this there is no loss of effort, nor is there any harm (production of contrary

results or transmigration). Even a little of this knowledge (even a little

practice of this Yoga) protects one from great fear. (II.40)

MS'"> Duty Is Not to Be Confused with Personal Benefit · Thy right is

to work only, but never with its fruits; let not the fruits of the action be

thy motive, nor let thy attachment be to inaction. (II.47)

mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'"> A Balanced Outlook Is Called Yoga

· Perform action, O Arjuna, being steadfast in Yoga, abandoning

attachment and balanced in success and failure. Evenness of mind is called

Yoga. (II.48) Yoga Is Dexterity in the Performance of Work · Endowed

with wisdom (evenness of mind), one casts off in this life both good and evil

deeds; therefore, devote thyself to Yoga; Yoga is skill in action. (II.50)

Contentment Is the Mark of Greatness and Genius · When a man

completely casts off, O Arjuna, all the desires of the mind and is satisfied in

the Self by the Self, then he is said to be

of steady wisdom. (II.55) The Perfected One · He attains to Peace,

into whom all desires enter as rivers enter the steady ocean, being filled from

all sides, not he who

desires objects (of sense). (II.70) Inaction Is Contrary to Nature ·

Verily, none can ever remain for even a moment without performing action; for

everyone is made to act

helplessly indeed by the qualities born of Nature. (III.5) Action Is the Law of

Life · Do thou perform (thy) bounden duty, for action is superior to

inaction; even the

maintenance of the body would not be, possible for thee by inaction. (III.8)

Action Not Involving Self-sacrifice Is Binding · The world is bound by

actions other than those

performed for the sake of sacrifice; do thou, therefore; O son of Kunti

(Arjuna), perform action for that sake (for sacrifice alone), free from

attachment. (III.9) God Created Beings with an Ordinance for Self-sacrifice ·

The Creator, having in the beginning created mankind together with

sacrifice, said, "By this shall ye propagate; let this be the milch cow of your

desires (the source which yields all the desired objects)." (III.10) Mutual

Cooperative Spirit Brings Success ·

Roman'"> With this (sacrifice) do ye nourish the gods, and may those

gods nourish ye; thus nourishing one another, ye shall attain to the highest

good. (III.11) Set an Ideal Example to Others ·

'Times New Roman'"> Whatsoever a great man does, that other men also do;

whatever he sets up as the standard that the world follows. (III.21) Do Not

Disturb the Faith of Others ·

Roman'"> Let no wise one unsettle the mind of ignorant people who are

attached to action; he should engage them in all actions, himself fulfilling

them with devotion. (III.26) You Are Not the Doer of Deeds, But Nature Is the

Real Doer

'Arial Unicode MS'">· All actions are wrought in all cases by the

qualities of Nature only. He whose mind is deluded by egoism thinks, "I am the

doer." (II.27) Offer Your Performances As a Dedication to God

mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'">· Renouncing all actions in

Me, with the mind centered in the Self, free from expectation and egoism and

(mental) agony, do thou fight. (III.30) Doing One's Own Duty Is Better than

Dabbling in Others', for Which One Is Not Meant

black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family:

'Arial Unicode MS'">· Better is one's own duty, though devoid of merit,

than the duty of another well discharged. Better is death in one's own duty;

the duty of another is fraught with fear. (III.35) Selfish Impulses Can Be

Overcome by Resort to the Supreme Being

-0.25in; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo26">· Knowing That which is superior to

the intellect, and restraining the self by the Self, slay thou, O mighty-armed,

the enemy in the form of desire, hard to conquer. (III.43) God Manifests

Himself in Every Form of Crisis · Whenever there is decline of

righteousness, O Arjuna, and rise of unrighteousness, then I manifest Myself.

(IV.7) ·

mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">For the protection of the good, for the destruction

of the wicked, and for the establishment of righteousness, I manifest Myself in

every age. (IV.8) All Action Is, in Fact, God Working · Brahman is the

oblation; Brahman is the melted butter; by Brahman is the oblation poured into

the fire of Brahman; Brahman verily shall be reached by him who always beholds

Brahman in action. (IV.24) Sankhya and Yoga · He who has renounced

the sense of doership by means of Yoga, who has destroyed all doubts by

knowledge, who is established in the Self, him actions do not bind, O

Dhananjaya. (IV.41) · Children, not wise ones, regard Sankhya and Yoga

as different from each other; (in fact) one who is established in one obtains

the results of both. (V.4)

TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l55 level1 lfo29">· Without Yoga (of

non-attachment) establishment in Sannyasa (relinquishment of action) is hard to

attain; the sage established in Yoga quickly reaches Brahman. (V.6) ·

One who is

harmonised in Yoga, of purified self, self-controlled, of subdued senses, whose

self has become the Self of all beings, although acting, is not tainted (or

affected in any way). (V.7) · With understanding fixed in That,

self-absorbed in That, rooted (entirely) in That, seeking That alone - they go

whence there is no return (to mortal life), having cleansed themselves with

wisdom (of Truth). (V.17)

0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l55 level1 lfo29">· Shutting off

all external contacts (through the senses), with gaze fixed between the

eyebrows, equalising the ingoing and outgoing breaths within the nostrils, ·

With

senses, mind and intellect firmly restrained, the sage, intent on the final

liberation alone, casting off all impulses of desire, fear and anger, is,

verily, liberated at all times. (V.27, 28) · Knowing Me as the enjoyer

of the fruits of all sacrifices and austerities, the Mighty Lord of all the

worlds, Friend of all beings, one attains to Peace. (V.29) Renunciation and

Work Are Identical · Do thou, O Arjuna, know Yoga (detached work) to

be the same as that which they call renunciation; no one verily becomes a Yogi

who has not renounced creative willing. (VI.2)

MS'"> Self-help Is the Road to Achievement · One should raise oneself

by one's Self alone; let not one lower oneself; for the Self alone is the

friend of oneself, and the Self alone is the enemy of oneself. (VI.5)

6pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l53 level1 lfo31">· The Self

is the friend of the self of him by whom the self has been conquered by the

Self; but to the unsubdued self the Self will act as a hostile enemy. (VI.6)

Moderation in Life Is Yoga · Verily, Yoga is not possible for him who

eats too much, nor for him who does not eat at all; nor for him who sleeps too

much, nor for him who is (always) awake, O Arjuna. (VI.16) · Yoga

becomes the destroyer of pain for him who is moderate in eating and recreation,

who is moderate in exertion in actions, who is moderate in sleep and

wakefulness. (VI.17) Surrender to God and Faith in His Omnipresence Is the

Primary Principle of All-round Attainment in Life ·

Roman'"> One who is harmonised in Yoga sees the Self as abiding in all

beings and all beings in the Self, beholding the same everywhere. (VI.29) ·

He who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, from him I never get

separated, nor does he become separated from Me. (VI.30) · He who,

being established in unity, worships Me Who dwell in all beings, that Yogi

abides in Me, whatever may be his mode of living. (VI.31) ·

Roman">He who, beholding identity everywhere with the Self, O Arjuna, sees

equality everywhere, be it pleasure or pain, he is regarded as the highest

Yogi. (VI.32) No Perfection Possible Without Control of Mind ·

I think Yoga is hard to be attained by one of uncontrolled self, but the

self-controlled and striving one can attain to it by adopting proper means.

(VI.36) God Accentuates and Stabilises the Different Faiths of People and

Bestows on Them the Results of Their Own Faiths ·

Roman'"> Whatever form any devotee desires to worship with faith - that

(same) faith of his I make firm and unflinching. (VII.21) · Endowed

with that faith, he engages in the worship of that (form) and from it he

obtains his desire, these being verily ordained by Me (alone). (VII.22)

God Is All Levels of Reality: The Absolute, the Self, Creativity, the Universe,

the Deities, and the Field of Activity · Brahman is the Imperishable,

the Supreme; Its essential nature is called Self; the creative activity which

causes existence and

manifestation of beings and which also sustains them is called action. (VIII.3)

· The objective world is the perishable; the Purusha is the presiding

Deity; I alone am the Lord of sacrifice here in this body, O best among the

embodied. (VIII.4)

New Roman">God Is Easy of Attainment · I am easily attainable by that

ever-steadfast Yogi who constantly and daily remembers Me, not thinking of

anything else (with singleness of mind), O Partha. (VIII.14) God Is Worshipped

As the One, As Twofold Reality, or As the Manifold, As Is One's Religious

Perspective · Sacrificing with the wisdom-sacrifice, the wise ones

worship Me, the all-faced, as the One, as dual, and as manifold. (IX.15)

MS'"> The Omnipresence, Omniscience and Omnipotence of God · I am the

Vedic rite, I the sacrifice, I the pious offering, I the medicine, I the holy

chant, I the article of oblation, I the fire, I the burnt offering,

0in 6pt 0.5in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; mso-list: l49 level1 lfo39">· I am

the Father of this Universe, the Mother, the Sustainer, the Grandfather, the

Purifier, the One Thing to be known, the Syllable OM, and also (the three

Vedas), Rik, Yajus and Saman, ·

mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">The Goal, the Supporter, the Lord, the Witness, the

Abode; the Refuge, the Friend, the Origin, the Dissolution, the Substratum, the

Storehouse, the Seed imperishable, · (As Sun) I generate heat; I

withhold and also send forth rain; I am immortality and also death; being and

non-being am I, O Arjuna! (IX.16-19)

MS'"> Prayer, Meditation and Surrender to God Bring Every Benefit · For

those men who worship Me alone, thinking of no other, for those ever-united, I

secure what is not already possessed and preserve what they already possess.

(IX.22)

black"> · Whoever offers Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or

a little water-that, so offered devotedly by the pure-minded, I accept. (IX.26)

·

Whatever thou doest, whatever thou eatest, whatever thou offerest in sacrifice,

whatever thou givest as charity, whatever thou practisest as austerity, O

Arjuna, do it as an offering unto Me. (1X.27) The God of All Religions Is

Ultimately the One God · Even those devotees who, endowed with faith,

worship other gods, worship Me alone, O Arjuna, by the wrong method (without

knowing the Truth). (IX.23) God Treats All Equally

MS'">· The same am I to all beings: to Me there is none hateful or dear;

but those who worship Me with devotion are in Me and I am also in them. (IX.29)

Understanding, Appreciation, Clarity of Thought, Forgiveness, Truthfulness,

Self-control, the Instinctive Impulses in Man, Compassion, Equilibrium of

Attitude, Contentment, Charitable Feeling, and Such Qualities Are Aspects of

God's Being · Intellect, wisdom, non-delusion, forgiveness, truth,

self-restraint, calmness, happiness, pain, existence or birth, non-existence or

death, fear and also fearlessness, · Non-injury, equanimity,

contentment, austerity, beneficence, fame, ill-fame-(these) different kinds of

qualities of beings arise from Me alone. (X.4,5) As God Is All, Mutual Respect

and Service Are the Divine Law · I am the Source of all; from Me

everything evolves; understanding thus, the wise, endowed with feeling, worship

Me. (X.8) · With their mind and their life wholly absorbed in Me,

enlightening each other and ever speaking of Me, they are satisfied and do

rejoice. (X.9)

MS'"> God Is the Soul of Everyone, the Beginning and End of All Things ·

I am the Self, O Gudakesa (Arjuna), seated in the hearts of all beings; I am

the beginning, the middle and also the end of all beings. (X.20)

mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'"> All Excellence in This World Is a

Ray of God's Glory · Whatever being is glorious, prosperous or

powerful, that know thou to be a manifestation of a part of My Splendor. (X.41)

 

black; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'"> Man Is Only an Instrument

in the Hands of God, Since God Does Everything · I am the full-grown

world-destroying Time, now engaged in destroying the worlds. Even without thee,

none of the warriors arrayed in the hostile armies shall live. (XI.32)

· Therefore, stand up and obtain fame. Conquer the enemy and enjoy the

unrivalled kingdom. Verily, by Me have they been already slain; be thou a mere

instrument, O Arjuna. (XI.33) Ritualism and the Letter of

Religion Without the Soul and Spirit of Devotion Is Futile · Neither by

the Vedas nor by austerity, nor by gifts, nor by sacrifice can I be seen in this

(Cosmic) Form as thou hast seen Me. (XI.53)

mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'">·

But by single-minded devotion can I, of this Form, be known and seen in

reality and also entered into, O Arjuna. (XI.54) The Highest Religion That

Makes for Salvation in God

black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family:

'Arial Unicode MS'">· He who does all actions for Me, who looks upon Me

as the Supreme, who is devoted to Me, who is free from attachment, who bears

enmity towards no creature - he comes to Me, O Arjuna. (XI.55) Unflinching

Faith Is the Mark of True Religion

mso-list: l72 level1 lfo50">· Those who, fixing their mind on Me,

worship Me, ever steadfast and endowed with supreme faith, are the best in

Yoga, is My opinion. (XII.2) The Great Virtues and Forms of Goodness of

Conduct Based on the Unity of Godhead · He who hates no creature, who

is friendly and compassionate to all, who is free from attachment and egoism,

balanced in pleasure and pain, and forgiving, ·

mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">Ever content, steady in meditation, self-controlled,

possessed of firm conviction, with the mind and intellect dedicated to Me, he,

My devotee, is dear to Me. · He by whom the world is not agitated and

who cannot be agitated by the world, and who is freed from joy, anger, fear and

anxiety - he is dear to Me. · He who is free from wants, pure, expert,

unconcerned, and free from pain, renouncing all undertakings or commencements -

he who is (thus) devoted to Me, is dear to Me. · He who neither

rejoices nor hates, nor grieves, nor desires,

renouncing good and evil, and who is full of devotion, is dear to Me. ·

He who is the same to foe and friend, and also in honour and dishonour, who is

the same in cold and heat and in pleasure and pain, who is free from

attachment,

mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'">· He to whom censure and

praise are equal, who is silent, content with anything, homeless, of a steady

mind, and full of devotion - such a one is dear to Me. (XII.13-19) Matter and

Spirit

mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">· This body, O Arjuna, is called the field;

he who knows it is called the knower of the field by those who know them.

(XIII.1) · Do thou also know Me as the knower of the field in all

fields, O Arjuna. Knowledge of both the field and the knower of

the field is considered by Me to be the real knowledge. (XIII.2) The Structure

of the Universe · The great elements, egoism, intellect, and also the

unmanifested Nature, the ten senses and the one (mind), and the five

objects of the senses, · Desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, the aggregate

(the body), intelligence, stability of being - thus the field has been briefly

described with its modifications. (XIII.5-6)

mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">The Grandeur of God, the Almighty Absolute ·

I will declare That which has to be known, knowing which one attains to

immortality, the beginningless Supreme Brahman, called neither being nor

non-being. ·

7pt 'Times New Roman'"> With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads

and mouths everywhere, with ears everywhere, It exists in the worlds enveloping

all. · Shining by the functions of all the senses, yet without the

senses; unattached, yet supporting all; devoid of qualities, yet their

experiencer,

· Without and within (all) beings, the unmoving and also the moving;

because of Its subtlety, unknowable; and near and far away is That. ·

Roman">Undivided, yet It exists as if divided in divided beings; It is to be

known as the supporter of beings; It devours and It generates. · That,

the Light of all lights, is said to be beyond darkness; knowledge, the knowable

and the goal of knowledge, seated in the hearts of all. (XIII.12-17)

MS'"> Matter, Spirit and Their Interaction Are Blended in God, the Supreme

Perfection and the Final Salvation of All · Know thou that Nature

(matter) and the Spirit are both beginningless; and know also that all

modifications and qualities are born of Nature.

· In the production of cause and effect relation, Nature (matter) is

said to be the cause; in the experience of pleasure and pain, the soul

(Purusha) is said to be the cause. ·

Roman">The soul (Purusha) seated in Nature experiences the qualities born of

Nature; attachment to the qualities is the cause of its birth in good and evil

wombs. · The Supreme Soul in this body is called the spectator, the

permitter, the supporter, the enjoyer, the great Lord, Absolute Being.

lfo55">· He who thus knows Spirit and Matter together with the

qualities, in whatever condition he may be, he is not born again. (XIII.19-23)

Meditation, Self-knowledge, Rational Investigation, Listening Through

Scriptures, and Service of All Beings Are the Ways to God · Some by

meditation behold the Self in the self by the self, others by the Yoga of

knowledge, and still others by concentration of mind and by the Yoga of action.

· Others also, not knowing thus, worship, having heard of it from

others; they, too, cross beyond death, regarding what they have heard as the

supreme refuge. (XIII.24-25) The Recognition of the One Equal God in All Is

the Way to Avoid Self-destruction and to Attain Supreme Beatitude ·

Roman'"> He sees truly, who sees the Supreme Lord, existing equally in

all beings, the unperishing within the perishing. · Seeing

equanimously the same Lord equally dwelling everywhere, one does not destroy

the Self by the self; and then reaches the highest goal. (XIII.28-29)

All Variety Is Rooted in the One · When a person beholds the whole

variety of beings as resting in the One, and spreading forth from That alone,

then and there does he attain to Brahman (the Absolute).

(XIII.31) The Characteristics of Purity Are Lustre and Radiance · When

through every aperture in this body the wisdom light shines, then it should be

known that Sattva

(purity) is predominant. (XIV. 11) The Characteristics of Impurity Are Greed

and Fatiguing Drudgery of Activity · Greed, activity, the undertaking

of actions,

restlessness, longing - these arise when Rajas is predominant. (XIV.12) The

Characteristics of Lethargy and Torpidity Are Ignorance, Confusion, Inaction

and Blundering ·

10.0pt">Darkness, inertness, heedlessness and delusion - these arise when Tamas

is predominant, O Arjuna. (XIV.13) Purity Leads to Higher Divine Worlds,

Impurity to Rebirth As a Human Being, and Lassitude to Embodiment in Sub-human

Species ·

black; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">If the embodied one meets with death when

Sattva is predominant, then he attains to the spotless worlds of the knowers of

the highest. · Meeting death in Rajas, he is born among those who are

attached to action; and dying in Tamas, he is born in the wombs of the

senseless and idiotic. (XIV.14-15)

MS'"> The Universe Is Like a Widespread Tree with Its Ramifications Below and

Its Roots in God, Who Is Its Goal · They (the wise) speak of the

Indestructible Peepul Tree having its roots above and branches below, whose

leaves are the sacred hymns; he who knows it

is a knower of the Vedas. (XV.1) · Then, (after having cut asunder this

metaphorical tree of Samsara), That goal should be sought for, whither having

gone none returns again: 'I seek refuge in That Primeval Purusha Whence

streamed forth the ancient activity or energy.' (XV.4)

mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">· Two Beings (Purushas) there are in this

world, the perishable and the imperishable. All created beings are the

perishable, and the unchanging being is called the imperishable. · But

distinct and above both is the Supreme Person, called the Highest

Self, the indestructible Lord Who, pervading the three worlds, sustains them.

(XV.16-17) Qualities of a Divinely Oriented Hero in the Adventure of Life ·

10.0pt">Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in knowledge and Yoga,

almsgiving, control of the senses, sacrifice, study of scriptures, austerity

and straightforwardness, · Harmlessness, truth, absence of anger,

renunciation, peacefulness, absence of crookedness, compassion towards beings,

non-covetousness, gentleness, modesty, absence of fickleness,

level1 lfo64">· Vigour, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, absence of

hatred, absence of pride-these belong to the one born for a divine state, O

Arjuna. (XVI.1-3) Characteristics of Demoniacal Elements

mso-list: l52 level1 lfo65">· They (the demoniacal) say, "this universe

is without truth, without (moral) basis, without a God, brought about by mutual

union, with lust for its cause; what else?" · Holding this view, these

ruined

souls of small intellect and fierce deeds come forth as the enemies of the world

for its destruction. (XVI.8-9) · (They say) "That enemy has been slain

by me; and others also I shall slay. I am the lord. I enjoy. I am perfect,

powerful and happy." (XVI.14)

12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'">· Given over to

egoism, power, haughtiness, lust and anger, these malicious people hate Me in

their own bodies and those of others. (XVI.18) The Three Gates to Hell

mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode MS'">· Triple is this gate to

hell, destructive of the self - lust, anger and greed; therefore one should

abandon these three propensities. (XVI.21) Pure, Impure and Harmful Food

12.0pt">· The foods, which increase life, purity, strength, health, joy,

and cheerfulness, which are savoury and oleaginous, substantial and agreeable,

are dear to the Sattvic (pure) people. · The foods that are bitter,

sour, saline, excessively hot, pungent, dry and burning, are liked by the

Rajasic and are

productive of pain, grief and disease. · That which is stale,

tasteless, putrid, rotten, refuse and impure, is the food liked by the Tamasic.

(XVII.8-10) The Three Types

of Self-discipline · Worship of the gods, the twice-born, the teachers

and the wise, purity, straightforwardness, celibacy and non-injury are called

the austerity of the body. ·

Roman'"> Speech, which causes no excitement, truthfulness, pleasant and

beneficial, the practice of study of the Vedas, are called the austerity of

speech. · Serenity of mind, good-heartedness, silence, self-control,

purity of nature are called mental austerity. (XVII.14-16)

Duty to God, World and Human Beings · Acts of sacrifice, gift and

austerity should not be abandoned, but should be performed; sacrifice, gift and

also austerity are the purifiers of the wise.

(XVIII.5) Renunciation Not to Be Motivated by Fear of Hardship Involved in the

Performance of Duty · He who abandons action on account of the fear of

bodily trouble (because

it is painful), does not obtain the merit of renunciation by doing such Rajasic

renunciation. (XV1II.8) Action Is a Collective Result of Cosmic Operations and

Not Done Individually by Any Single Being · The seat

of action (body), the doer, the various senses, the different functions of

various kinds, and the presiding deity as the fifth (are the causative factors

of all action). · Whatever action a man performs with his body, speech

and mind-whether right or the reverse, these five are its causes.

Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Arial Unicode

MS'">· Now, such being the case, verily he who, owing to untrained

understanding, looks upon his self-alone as the agent - he of perverted

intelligence, sees not (the truth). (XVIII.14-16) Spiritual Wisdom, Rational

Knowledge arid Emotional Attachment Distinguished

lfo72">· That by which one sees the one indestructible Reality in all

beings, not separate even in all the separate beings - know thou that knowledge

to be Sattvika (pure). · But that knowledge which sees in all beings

various entities of distinct kinds as different from one another - know thou

that knowledge to be Rajasika. · But that which clings to one single

effect as if it were the whole, without reason, without foundation in Truth,

and trivial- that (understanding) is declared to be Tamasika. (XVIII20-22)

Three Kinds of Happiness · That which is like poison at first but in

the end like nectar - that happiness is declared to be Sattivaka, born of the

purity of one's own mind due to Self-realisation.

lfo73">· That happiness which arises from the contact of the

sense-organs with the objects, which is at first like nectar, and in the end

like poison - that is declared to be Rajasika. ·

10.0pt">That happiness which at first as well as in the sequel deludes the self,

and which arises from sleep, indolence and heedlessness - that is declared to be

Tamasika. (XVIII.37-39) Perfection Is Attained by Performance of One's Own Duty

Without Interfering with Another's ·

Roman'"> He from whom all the beings have evolved and by whom all this

is pervaded - worshipping Him with one's own duty, one attains perfection.

(XVIII.46) Resort to God Is the Solution of All the Ills of Life

MS'">· Abandoning all duties, take refuge in Me alone; I will liberate

thee from all sins; grieve not. (XVIII.66) Success Is Certain Where Man and

God Act in Unison ·

Roman'"> Where is Krishna, the Lord of Yoga; where is Arjuna, the

wielder of the bow, (acting together in harmony); there shall be prosperity,

victory, happiness and firm polity; this is my conviction. (XVIII.78) Source:

http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/canon/ca_3.html With Sai love from Sai

brothers – ‘’

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