  This My insuperable and fixed decree!

  Abstaining from a work by right prescribed
  Never is meet! So to abstain doth spring
  From "Darkness," and Delusion teacheth it.
  Abstaining from a work grievous to flesh,
  When one saith "'Tis unpleasing!" this is null!
  Such an one acts from "passion;" nought of gain
  Wins his Renunciation! But, Arjun!
  Abstaining from attachment to the work,
  Abstaining from rewardment in the work,
  While yet one doeth it full faithfully,
  Saying, "Tis right to do!" that is "true " act
  And abstinence! Who doeth duties so,
  Unvexed if his work fail, if it succeed
  Unflattered, in his own heart justified,
  Quit of debates and doubts, his is "true" act:
  For, being in the body, none may stand
  Wholly aloof from act; yet, who abstains
  From profit of his acts is abstinent.

  The fruit of labours, in the lives to come,
  Is threefold for all men,--Desirable,
  And Undesirable, and mixed of both;
  But no fruit is at all where no work was.

  Hear from me, Long-armed Lord! the makings five
  Which go to every act, in Sankhya taught
  As necessary. First the force; and then
  The agent; next, the various instruments;
  Fourth, the especial effort; fifth, the God.
  What work soever any mortal doth
  Of body, mind, or speech, evil or good,
  By these five doth he that. Which being thus,
  Whoso, for lack of knowledge, seeth himself
  As the sole actor, knoweth nought at all
  And seeth nought. Therefore, I say, if one--
  Holding aloof from self--with unstained mind
  Should slay all yonder host, being bid to slay,
  He doth not slay; he is not bound thereby!

  Knowledge, the thing known, and the mind which knows,
  These make the threefold starting-ground of act.
  The act, the actor, and the instrument,
  These make the threefold total of the deed.
  But knowledge, agent, act, are differenced
  By three dividing qualities. Hear now
  Which be the qualities dividing them.

  There is "true" Knowledge. Learn thou it is this:
  To see one changeless Life in all the Lives,
  And in the Separate, One Inseparable.
  There is imperfect Knowledge: that which sees
  The separate existences apart,
  And, being separated, holds them real.
  There is false Knowledge: that which blindly clings
  To one as if 'twere all, seeking no Cause,
  Deprived of light, narrow, and dull, and "dark."

  There is "right" Action: that which being enjoined--
  Is wrought without attachment, passionlessly,
  For duty, not for love, nor hate, nor gain.
  There is "vain" Action: that which men pursue
  Aching to satisfy desires, impelled
  By sense of self, with all-absorbing stress:
  This is of Rajas--passionate and vain.
  There is "dark" Action: when one doth a thing
  Heedless of issues, heedless of the hurt
  Or wrong for others, heedless if he harm
  His own soul--'tis of Tamas, black and bad!

  There is the "rightful"doer. He who acts
  Free from self-seeking, humble, resolute,
  Steadfast, in good or evil hap the same,
  Content to do aright-he "truly" acts.
  There is th' "impassioned" doer. He that works
  From impulse, seeking profit, rude and bold
  To overcome, unchastened; slave by turns
  Of sorrow and of joy: of Rajas he!
  And there be evil doers; loose of heart,
  Low-minded, stubborn, fraudulent, remiss,
  Dull, slow, despondent--children of the "dark."

  Hear, too, of Intellect and Steadfastness
  The threefold separation, Conqueror-Prince!
  How these are set apart by Qualities.

  Good is the Intellect which comprehends
  The coming forth and going back of life,
  What must be done, and what must not be done,
  What should be feared, and what should not be feared,
  What binds and what emancipates the soul:
  That is of Sattwan, Prince! of "soothfastness."
  Marred is the Intellect which, knowing right
  And knowing wrong, and what is well to do
  And what must not be done, yet understands
  Nought with firm mind, nor as the calm truth is:
  This is of Rajas, Prince! and "passionate!"
  Evil is Intellect which, wrapped in gloom,
  Looks upon wrong as right, and sees all things
  Contrariwise of Truth. O Pritha's Son!
  That is of Tamas, "dark" and desperate!

  Good is the steadfastness whereby a man
  Masters his beats of heart, his very breath
  Of life, the action of his senses; fixed
  In never-shaken faith and piety:
  That is of Sattwan, Prince! "soothfast" and fair!
  Stained is the steadfastness whereby a man
  Holds to his duty, purpose, effort, end,
  For life's sake, and the love of goods to gain,
  Arjuna! 'tis of Rajas, passion-stamped!
  Sad is the steadfastness wherewith the fool
  Cleaves to his sloth, his sorrow, and his fears,
  His folly and despair. This--Pritha's Son!--
  Is born of Tamas, "dark" and miserable!


  Hear further, Chief of Bharatas! from Me
  The threefold kinds of Pleasure which there be.

  Good Pleasure is the pleasure that endures,
  Banishing pain for aye; bitter at first
  As poison to the soul, but afterward
  Sweet as the taste of Amrit. Drink of that!
  It springeth in the Spirit's deep content.
  And painful Pleasure springeth from the bond
  Between the senses and the sense-world. Sweet
  As Amrit is its first taste, but its last
  Bitter as poison. 'Tis of Rajas, Prince!
  And foul and "dark" the Pleasure is which springs
  From sloth and sin and foolishness; at first
  And at the last, and all the way of life
  The soul bewildering. 'Tis of Tamas, Prince!

  For nothing lives on earth, nor 'midst the gods
  In utmost heaven, but hath its being bound
  With these three Qualities, by Nature framed.

  The work of Brahmans, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas,
  And Sudras, O thou Slayer of thy Foes!
  Is fixed by reason of the Qualities
  Planted in each:

  A Brahman's virtues, Prince!
  Born of his nature, are serenity,
  Self-mastery, religion, purity,
  Patience, uprightness, learning, and to know
  The truth of things which be. A Kshatriya's pride,
  Born of his nature, lives in valour, fire,
  Constancy, skilfulness, spirit in fight,
  And open-handedness and noble mien,
  As of a lord of men. A Vaisya's task,
  Born with his nature, is to till the ground,
  Tend cattle, venture trade. A Sudra's state,
  Suiting his nature, is to minister.

  Whoso performeth--diligent, content--
  The work allotted him, whate'er it be,
  Lays hold of perfectness! Hear how a man
  Findeth perfection, being so content:
  He findeth it through worship--wrought by work--
  Of Him that is the Source of all which lives,
  Of HIM by Whom the universe was stretched.

  Better thine own work is, though done with fault,
  Than doing others' work, ev'n excellently.
  He shall not fall in sin who fronts the task
  Set him by Nature's hand! Let no man leave
  His natural duty, Prince! though it bear blame!
  For every work hath blame, as every flame
  Is wrapped in smoke! Only that man attains
  Perfect surcease of work whose work was wrought
  With mind unfettered, soul wholly subdued,
  Desires for ever dead, results renounced.

  Learn from me, Son of Kunti! also this,
  How one, attaining perfect peace, attains
  BRAHM, the supreme, the highest height of all!

  Devoted--with a heart grown pure, restrained
  In lordly self-control, forgoing wiles
  Of song and senses, freed from love and hate,
  Dwelling 'mid solitudes, in diet spare,
  With body, speech, and will tamed to obey,
  Ever to holy meditation vowed,
  From passions liberate, quit of the Self,
  Of arrogance, impatience, anger, pride;
  Freed from surroundings, quiet, lacking nought--
  Such an one grows to oneness with the BRAHM;
  Such an one, growing one with BRAHM, serene,
  Sorrows no more, desires no more; his soul,
  Equally loving all that lives, loves well
  Me, Who have made them, and attains to Me.
  By this same love and worship doth he know
  Me as I am, how high and wonderful,
  And knowing, straightway enters into Me.
  And whatsoever deeds he doeth--fixed
  In Me, as in his refuge--he hath won
  For ever and for ever by My grace
  Th' Eternal Rest! So win thou! In thy thoughts
  Do all thou dost for Me! Renounce for Me!
  Sacrifice heart and mind and will to Me!
  Live in the faith of Me! In faith of Me
  All dangers thou shalt vanquish, by My grace;
  But, trusting to thyself and heeding not,
  Thou can'st but perish! If this day thou say'st,
  Relying on thyself, "I will not fight!"
  Vain will the purpose prove! thy qualities
  Would spur thee to the war. What thou dost shun,
  Misled by fair illusions, thou wouldst seek
  Against thy will, when the task comes to thee
  Waking the promptings in thy nature set.
  There lives a Master in the hearts of men
  Maketh their deeds, by subtle  pulling--strings,
  Dance to what tune HE will. With all thy soul
  Trust Him, and take Him for thy succour, Prince!
  So--only so, Arjuna!--shalt thou gain--
  By grace of Him--the uttermost repose,
  The Eternal Place!

  Thus hath been opened thee
  This Truth of Truths, the Mystery more hid
  Than any secret mystery. Meditate!
  And--as thou wilt--then act!

  Nay! but once more
  Take My last word, My utmost meaning have!
  Precious thou art to Me; right well-beloved!
  Listen! I tell thee for thy comfort this.
  Give Me thy heart! adore Me! serve Me! cling
  In faith and love and reverence to Me!
  So shalt thou come to Me! I promise true,
  For thou art sweet to Me!

  And let go those--
  Rites and writ duties! Fly to Me alone!
  Make Me thy single refuge! I will free
  Thy soul from all its  sins! Be of good cheer!

  [Hide, the holy Krishna saith,
  This from him that hath no faith,
  Him that worships not, nor seeks
  Wisdom's teaching when she speaks:
  Hide it from all men who mock;
  But, wherever, 'mid the flock
  Of My lovers, one shall teach
  This  divinest, wisest, speech--
  Teaching in the faith to bring
  Truth to them, and offering
  Of all honour unto Me--
  Unto Brahma cometh he!
  Nay, and nowhere shall ye find
  Any man of all mankind
  Doing dearer deed for Me;
  Nor shall any dearer be
  In My earth. Yea, furthermore,
  Whoso reads this converse o'er,
  Held by Us upon the plain,
  Pondering piously and fain,
  He hath paid Me sacrifice!
  (Krishna speaketh in this wise!)
  Yea, and whoso, full of faith,
  Heareth wisely what it saith,
  Heareth meekly,--when he dies,
  Surely shall his spirit rise
  To those regions where the Blest,
  Free of flesh, in joyance rest.]

  Hath this been heard by thee, O Indian Prince!
  With mind intent? hath all the ignorance--
  Which bred thy trouble--vanished, My Arjun?

  Arjuna.
  Trouble and ignorance are gone! the Light
  Hath come unto me, by Thy favour, Lord!
  Now am I fixed! my doubt is fled away!
  According to Thy word, so will I do!

  Sanjaya.
  Thus gathered I the gracious speech of Krishna, O my King!
  Thus have I told, with heart a-thrill, this wise and wondrous thing
  By great Vyasa's learning writ, how Krishna's self made known
  The Yoga, being Yoga's Lord. So is the high truth shown!
  And aye, when I remember, O Lord my King, again
  Arjuna and the God in talk, and all this holy strain,
  Great is my gladness: when I muse that splendour, passing speech,
  Of Hari, visible and plain, there is no tongue to reach
  My marvel and my love and bliss. O Archer-Prince! all hail!
  O Krishna, Lord of Yoga! surely there shall not fail
  Blessing, and victory, and power, for Thy most mighty sake,
  Where this song comes of Arjun, and how with God he spake.

  HERE ENDS, WITH CHAPTER XVIII.,
  Entitled "Mokshasanyasayog,"
  Or "The Book of Religion by Deliverance and Renunciation,"
  THE BHAGAVAD-GITA.




[FN#1]  Some repetitionary lines are here omitted.

[FN#2]  Technical phrases of Vedic religion.

[FN#3]  The whole of this passage is highly involved and difficult to
render.

[FN#4]  I feel convinced sankhyanan and yoginan must be transposed
here in sense.

[FN#5]  I am doubtful of accuracy here.

[FN#6]  A name of the sun.

[FN#7]  Without desire of fruit.

[FN#8]  That is,"joy and sorrow, success and failure, heat and cold,"&c.

[FN#9]  i.e., the body.

[FN#10]  The Sanskrit has this play on the double meaning of Atman.

[FN#11]  So in original.

[FN#12]  Beings of low and devilish nature.

[FN#13]  Krishna.

[FN#14]  I read here janma, "birth;" not jara,"age"

[FN#15]  I have discarded ten lines of Sanskrit text here as an
undoubted interpolation by some Vedantist

[FN#16]  The Sanskrit poem here rises to an elevation of style and
manner which I have endeavoured to mark by change of metre.

[FN#17]  Ahinsa.

[FN#18]  The nectar of immortality.

[FN#19]  Called "The Jap."

[FN#20]  The compound form of Sanskrit words.

[FN#21]  "Kamalapatraksha"

[FN#22]  These are all divine or deified orders of the Hindoo Pantheon.

[FN#23]  "Hail to Thee, God of Gods! Be favourable!"

[FN#24]  The wind.

[FN#25]  "Not peering about,"anapeksha.

[FN#26]  The Calcutta edition of the Mahabharata has these three
opening lines.

[FN#27]  This is the nearest possible version of
Kshetrakshetrajnayojnanan yat tajnan matan mama.

[FN#28]  I omit two lines of the Sanskrit here, evidently interpolated by
some Vedantist.

[FN#29]  Wombs.

[FN#30]  I do not consider the Sanskrit verses here-which are somewhat
freely rendered--"an attack on the authority of the Vedas," with Mr
Davies, but a beautiful lyrical episode, a new "Parable of the fig-tree."

[FN#31]  I omit a verse here, evidently interpolated.

[FN#32]  "Of the Asuras," lit.

[FN#33]  I omit the ten concluding shlokas, with Mr Davis.

[FN#34]  Rakshasas and Yakshas are unembodied but capricious beings
of great power, gifts, and beauty, same times also of benignity.

[FN#35]  These are spirits of evil wandering ghosts.

[FN#36]  Yatayaman, food which has remained after the watches of the
night. In India this would probably "go bad."

[FN#37]  I omit the concluding shlokas, as of very doubtful authenticity.









