The Yoga of Knowledge

सञ्जय उवाच। तं तथा कृपयाविष्टमश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम्। विषीदन्तमिदं वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनः॥

Sanjaya said: To him who was thus overcome with pity, whose eyes were filled with tears and troubled, and who was despairing, Madhusudana spoke these words.

श्रीभगवानुवाच। कुतस्त्वा कश्मलमिदं विषमे समुपस्थितम्। अनार्यजुष्टमस्वर्ग्यमकीर्तिकरमर्जुन॥

The Supreme Lord said: From where has this weakness come upon you at this critical hour? It is not befitting noble souls, nor does it lead to heaven, and it causes disgrace, O Arjuna.

क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते। क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप॥

Do not yield to unmanliness, O Partha. It does not befit you. Cast off this petty weakness of heart and arise, O scorcher of enemies!

अर्जुन उवाच। कथं भीष्ममहं सङ्ख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन। इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन॥

Arjuna said: O Madhusudana, how can I fight with arrows against Bhishma and Drona in battle? They are worthy of my worship, O destroyer of enemies.

गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान् श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीह लोके। हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिरप्रदिग्धान्॥

It would be better to live in this world by begging than to slay these great souls who are my teachers. If I kill them, all my enjoyments will be tainted with blood.

न चैतद्विद्मः कतरन्नो गरीयो यद्वा जयेम यदि वा नो जयेयुः। यानेव हत्वा न जिजीविषामस्तेऽवस्थिताः प्रमुखे धार्तराष्ट्राः॥

We do not know which is better - to conquer them or be conquered by them. The sons of Dhritarashtra, killing whom we would not wish to live, stand before us.

कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसम्मूढचेताः। यच्छ्रेयः स्यान्निश्चितं ब्रूहि तन्मे शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम्॥

My heart is afflicted by weakness and my mind is confused about dharma. Tell me decisively what is best for me. I am Your disciple. Instruct me, for I have surrendered to You.

न हि प्रपश्यामि ममापनुद्याद्यच्छोकमुच्छोषणमिन्द्रियाणाम्। अवाप्य भूमावसपत्नमृद्धं राज्यं सुराणामपि चाधिपत्यम्॥

I see nothing that can remove this grief which is drying up my senses, even if I were to attain unrivaled and prosperous kingdom on earth, or even sovereignty over the gods.

सञ्जय उवाच। एवमुक्त्वा हृषीकेशं गुडाकेशः परन्तपः। न योत्स्य इति गोविन्दमुक्त्वा तूष्णीं बभूव ह॥

Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus to Krishna, Arjuna, the conqueror of sleep and scorcher of enemies, said 'I will not fight' and became silent.

तमुवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव भारत। सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये विषीदन्तमिदं वचः॥

O Dhritarashtra, to the grieving Arjuna, between the two armies, Krishna, smiling as it were, spoke these words.

श्रीभगवानुवाच। अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे। गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः॥

The Supreme Lord said: You grieve for those who should not be grieved for, yet you speak words of wisdom. The wise grieve neither for the living nor for the dead.

न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः। न चैव न भविष्यामः सर्वे वयमतः परम्॥

Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.

देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा। तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति॥

Just as the soul passes through childhood, youth, and old age in this body, so too does it pass to another body. The wise are not confused by this.

मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः। आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत॥

The contact of senses with their objects gives rise to feelings of cold and heat, pleasure and pain. They are temporary, appearing and disappearing. Bear them patiently, O Arjuna.

यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ। समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते॥

O best of men, that wise person who remains balanced in pleasure and pain, whom these do not disturb, is fit for immortality.