Public domain translation by Sir Edwin Arnold (1885), via Project Gutenberg. Presented unabridged.
Krishna.<br/> This deathless Yoga, this deep union,<br/> I taught Vivaswata,[FN#6] the Lord of Light;<br/> Vivaswata to Manu gave it; he<br/> To Ikshwaku; so passed it down the line<br/> Of all my royal Rishis. Then, with years,<br/> The truth grew dim and perished, noble Prince!<br/> Now once again to thee it is declared--<br/> This ancient lore, this mystery supreme--<br/> Seeing I find thee votary and friend.
Arjuna.<br/> Thy birth, dear Lord, was in these later days,<br/> And bright Vivaswata's preceded time!<br/> How shall I comprehend this thing thou sayest,<br/> "From the beginning it was I who taught?"
Krishna.<br/> Manifold the renewals of my birth<br/> Have been, Arjuna! and of thy births, too!<br/> But mine I know, and thine thou knowest not,<br/> O Slayer of thy Foes! Albeit I be<br/> Unborn, undying, indestructible,<br/> The Lord of all things living; not the less--<br/> By Maya, by my magic which I stamp<br/> On floating Nature-forms, the primal vast--<br/> I come, and go, and come. When Righteousness<br/> Declines, O Bharata! when Wickedness<br/> Is strong, I rise, from age to age, and take<br/> Visible shape, and move a man with men,<br/> Succouring the good, thrusting the evil back,<br/> And setting Virtue on her seat again.<br/> Who knows the truth touching my births on earth<br/> And my divine work, when he quits the flesh<br/> Puts on its load no more, falls no more down<br/> To earthly birth: to Me he comes, dear Prince!<br/> Many there be who come! from fear set free,<br/> From anger, from desire; keeping their hearts<br/> Fixed upon me--my Faithful--purified<br/> By sacred flame of Knowledge. Such as these<br/> Mix with my being. Whoso worship me,<br/> Them I exalt; but all men everywhere<br/> Shall fall into my path; albeit, those souls<br/> Which seek reward for works, make sacrifice<br/> Now, to the lower gods. I say to thee<br/> Here have they their reward. But I am He<br/> Made the Four Castes, and portioned them a place<br/> After their qualities and gifts. Yea, I<br/> Created, the Reposeful; I that live<br/> Immortally, made all those mortal births:<br/> For works soil not my essence, being works<br/> Wrought uninvolved.[FN#7] Who knows me acting thus<br/> Unchained by action, action binds not him;<br/> And, so perceiving, all those saints of old<br/> Worked, seeking for deliverance. Work thou<br/> As, in the days gone by, thy fathers did.
Thou sayst, perplexed, It hath been asked before<br/> By singers and by sages, "What is act,<br/> And what inaction? "I will teach thee this,<br/> And, knowing, thou shalt learn which work doth save<br/> Needs must one rightly meditate those three--<br/> Doing,--not doing,--and undoing. Here<br/> Thorny and dark the path is! He who sees<br/> How action may be rest, rest action--he<br/> Is wisest 'mid his kind; he hath the truth!<br/> He doeth well, acting or resting. Freed<br/> In all his works from prickings of desire,<br/> Burned clean in act by the white fire of truth,<br/> The wise call that man wise; and such an one,<br/> Renouncing fruit of deeds, always content.<br/> Always self-satisfying, if he works,<br/> Doth nothing that shall stain his separate soul,<br/> Which--quit of fear and hope--subduing self--<br/> Rejecting outward impulse--yielding up<br/> To body's need nothing save body, dwells<br/> Sinless amid all sin, with equal calm<br/> Taking what may befall, by grief unmoved,<br/> Unmoved by joy, unenvyingly; the same<br/> In good and evil fortunes; nowise bound<br/> By bond of deeds. Nay, but of such an one,<br/> Whose crave is gone, whose soul is liberate,<br/> Whose heart is set on truth--of such an one<br/> What work he does is work of sacrifice,<br/> Which passeth purely into ash and smoke<br/> Consumed upon the altar! All's then God!<br/> The sacrifice is Brahm, the ghee and grain<br/> Are Brahm, the fire is Brahm, the flesh it eats<br/> Is Brahm, and unto Brahm attaineth he<br/> Who, in such office, meditates on Brahm.<br/> Some votaries there be who serve the gods<br/> With flesh and altar-smoke; but other some<br/> Who, lighting subtler fires, make purer rite<br/> With will of worship. Of the which be they<br/> Who, in white flame of continence, consume<br/> Joys of the sense, delights of eye and ear,<br/> Forgoing tender speech and sound of song:<br/> And they who, kindling fires with torch of Truth,<br/> Burn on a hidden altar-stone the bliss<br/> Of youth and love, renouncing happiness:<br/> And they who lay for offering there their wealth,<br/> Their penance, meditation, piety,<br/> Their steadfast reading of the scrolls, their lore<br/> Painfully gained with long austerities:<br/> And they who, making silent sacrifice,<br/> Draw in their breath to feed the flame of thought,<br/> And breathe it forth to waft the heart on high,<br/> Governing the ventage of each entering air<br/> Lest one sigh pass which helpeth not the soul:<br/> And they who, day by day denying needs,<br/> Lay life itself upon the altar-flame,<br/> Burning the body wan. Lo! all these keep<br/> The rite of offering, as if they slew<br/> Victims; and all thereby efface much sin.<br/> Yea! and who feed on the immortal food<br/> Left of such sacrifice, to Brahma pass,<br/> To The Unending. But for him that makes<br/> No sacrifice, he hath nor part nor lot<br/> Even in the present world. How should he share<br/> Another, O thou Glory of thy Line?
In sight of Brahma all these offerings<br/> Are spread and are accepted! Comprehend<br/> That all proceed by act; for knowing this,<br/> Thou shalt be quit of doubt. The sacrifice<br/> Which Knowledge pays is better than great gifts<br/> Offered by wealth, since gifts' worth--O my Prince!<br/> Lies in the mind which gives, the will that serves:<br/> And these are gained by reverence, by strong search,<br/> By humble heed of those who see the Truth<br/> And teach it. Knowing Truth, thy heart no more<br/> Will ache with error, for the Truth shall show<br/> All things subdued to thee, as thou to Me.<br/> Moreover, Son of Pandu! wert thou worst<br/> Of all wrong-doers, this fair ship of Truth<br/> Should bear thee safe and dry across the sea<br/> Of thy transgressions. As the kindled flame<br/> Feeds on the fuel till it sinks to ash,<br/> So unto ash, Arjuna! unto nought<br/> The flame of Knowledge wastes works' dross away!<br/> There is no purifier like thereto<br/> In all this world, and he who seeketh it<br/> Shall find it--being grown perfect--in himself.<br/> Believing, he receives it when the soul<br/> Masters itself, and cleaves to Truth, and comes--<br/> Possessing knowledge--to the higher peace,<br/> The uttermost repose. But those untaught,<br/> And those without full faith, and those who fear<br/> Are shent; no peace is here or other where,<br/> No hope, nor happiness for whoso doubts.<br/> He that, being self-contained, hath vanquished doubt,<br/> Disparting self from service, soul from works,<br/> Enlightened and emancipate, my Prince!<br/> Works fetter him no more! Cut then atwain<br/> With sword of wisdom, Son of Bharata!<br/> This doubt that binds thy heart-beats! cleave the bond<br/> Born of thy ignorance! Be bold and wise!<br/> Give thyself to the field with me! Arise!
HERE ENDETH CHAPTER IV. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,<br/> Entitled "Jnana Yog,"<br/> Or "The Book of the Religion of Knowledge,"