[(Bhagavad Gita Chapter V)]
"Arjuna said,—'Thou applaudest, O Krishna, the abandonment of actions,
and again the application (to them). Tell me definitely which one of
these two is superior.
"The Holy One said—'Both abandonment of actions and application to
actions lead to emancipation. But of these, application to action is
superior to abandonment. He should always be known to be an ascetic who
hath no aversion nor desire. For, being free from pairs of opposites, O
thou of mighty arms, he is easily released from the bonds (of action).
Fools say, but not those that are wise, that Sankhya and Yoga are
distinct. One who stayeth in even one (of the two) reapeth the fruit of
both. Whatever seat is attained by those who profess the Sankhya
system, that too is reached by those who profess the Yoga. He seeth truly
who seeth Sankhya and Yoga as one. But renunciation, O mighty-armed
one, without devotion (to action), is difficult to attain. The ascetic
who is engaged in devotion (by action) reacheth the Supreme Being without
delay. He who is engaged in devotion (by action) and is of pure soul, who
hath conquered his body and subdued his senses, and who indentifieth
himself with all creatures, is not fettered though performing
(action). The man of devotion, who knoweth truth, thinking—I am
doing nothing—When seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving,
sleeping, breathing, talking, excreting, taking, opening the eyelids or
closing them; he regardeth that it is the senses that are engaged in the
objects of senses. He who renouncing attachment engageth in actions,
resigning them to Brahma, is not touched by sin as the lotus-leaf (is not
touched) by water. Those who are devotees, casting off attachment,
perform actions (attaining) purity of self, with the body, the mind, the
understanding, and even the senses (free from desire). He who is
possessed of devotion, renouncing the fruit of action, attaineth to the
highest tranquillity. He, who is not possessed of devotion and is
attached to the fruit of action, is fettered by action performed from
desire. The self-restrained embodied (self), renouncing all actions by
the mind, remains at ease within the house of nine gates, neither acting
himself nor causing (anything) to act. The Lord is not the cause of
the capacity for action, or of the actions of men, or of the connection
of actions and (their) fruit. It is nature that engages (in action). The
Lord receiveth no one's sin, nor also merit. By ignorance, knowledge is
shrouded. It is for this that creatures are deluded. But of whomsoever
that ignorance hath been destroyed by knowledge of self, that knowledge
(which is) like the Sun discloseth the Supreme Being. Those whose mind is
on Him, whose very soul is He, who abide in Him, and who have Him for
their goal, depart never more to return, their sins being all destroyed
by knowledge. Those, who are wise cast an equal eye on a Brahmana
endued with learning and modesty, on a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a
chandala. Even here has birth been conquered by them whose minds
rest on equality; and since Brahma is faultless and equable, therefore,
they (are said to) abide in Brahma. He whose mind is steady, who is
not deluded, who knows Brahma, and who rests in Brahma, doth not exult on
obtaining anything that is agreeable, nor doth he grieve on obtaining
that is disagreeable. He whose mind is not attached to external objects
of sense, obtaineth that happiness which is in self; and by concentrating
his mind on the contemplation of Brahma, he enjoyeth a happiness that is
imperishable. The enjoyments born of the contact (of the senses with
their objects) are productive of sorrow. He who is wise, O son of Kunti,
never taketh pleasure in these that have a beginning and an end. That man
whoever here, before the dissolution of the body, is able to endure the
agitations resulting from desire and wrath, is fixed on contemplation,
and is happy. He who findeth happiness within himself, (and) who sporteth
within himself, he whose light (of knowledge) is deprived from within
himself, is a devotee, and becoming one with Brahma attaineth to
absorption into Brahma. Those saintly personages whose sins have been
destroyed, whose doubts have been dispelled, who are self-restrained, and
who are engaged in the good of all creatures, obtain absorption into
Brahma. For these devotees who are freed from desire and wrath, whose
minds are under control, and who have knowledge of self, absorption into
Brahma exists both here and thereafter. Excluding (from his mind)
all external objects of sense, directing the visual glance between the
brows, mingling (into one) the upward and the downward life-breaths and
making them pass through the nostrils, the devotee, who has restrained
the senses, the mind, and the understanding, being intent on
emancipation, and who is freed from desire, fear, and wrath, is
emancipated, indeed. Knowing me to be enjoyer of all sacrifices and
ascetic austerities, the great Lord of all the worlds, and friend of all
creatures, such a one obtaineth tranquillity.'
