I do not know what is proper for me to do; I am so bewildered by reason of this declusion (51-55). When the sight is enveloped-by darkness, it cannot see even things close to it, such is my state. My perplexed mind cannot decide what is good for me. 0 Krishna, consider this and tell me what is proper in this case. You are our friend; you are all in all to us. You are our teacher, brother, father and also our favourite God. You have always been our protector in adversity. The teacher does not at all forsake his disciple, as the sea does not part from the river, which joins it (56-60). If a mother abandons her child, how will it survive? O Lord, you are our only friend, more so than to others, and if what I said does not appeal to you, then tell me quickly, 0 Supreme Person, what is proper for me to do, which is not contrary to dharma.

The grief that I feel at the sight of these kinsmen will not be relieved without your instruction. Even if I were to gain the world or the abode of Indra, this delusive pity of mine will not abate (61-65). Just as a roasted seed, planted in a fertile soil, will not grow even when watered properly, or even as medicine is of no use to a person whose days are numbered, but nothing but nectar can help him, so neither royal pleasures nor prosperity can enliven my mind, but only, 0 merciful Lord, your affection will sustain me.

(Jnanadeva says) so said Arjuna as if he was freed from delusion; but instantly he was seized by the sudden impulse of delusion. On second thought I feel that this was not a sudden impulse, but that he was bitten by the deadly snake in the form of delusion (66-70). When it saw that Arjuna's heart was overflowing with pity, it bit him in his vital parts causing repeated spasms of grief. In this difficult situation Lord Krishna, the snake-charmer, was there to counteract the poison with his compassionate gaze. As the Lord happened to be close by agitated Arjuna, he will easily protect him in his kindness. With this in view I had stated that Arjuna was bit by the snake 1n the form of delusion. Arjuna was enveloped by delusion as the sun is covered with clouds (71-75). Even as in summer the mountain is scorched by conflagration, so Arjuna, the supreme archer, had become torn with grief. Therefore, Lord Krishna, overflowing with the nectar of pity, turned towards him like a blue cloud, with his flashing teeth looking like lightening and his sonorous speech like rumbling thunder. Now hear how that generous cloud (Krishna) will pour and soothe the mountain (Arjuna) and produce shoots of wisdom in him. Listen to this story for the solace of' your mind, so says Jnanadeva, disciple of Nivritti (76-80).

Sanjaya said:

Sanjaya said, O king, listen to what the grief-stricken Partha said. He said to Lord Krishna, "Pray, do not press me further, I will not fight; about this my mind is settled". Saying this all at once, he remained silent. Lord Krishna was amazed to see him in that condition.

Then the Lord said to himself, "What is Arjuna upto now? He does not seem to understand. What can one do to make him see reason and restore his courage? Just as an exorcist appraises one possessed by a ghost (81-85), or a physician prescribes an antidote for an incurable disease, so Lord Krishna, standing in the midst of the two armies, began to think of a plan to rid Arjuna of his obsession. Divining its cause, he began to speak in a somewhat angry tone. Just as a mother's anger is full of affection for the child, or even a bitter medicine contains the ambrocial power of healing, which is not apparent but is seen from the result, so he began his speech with- apparent unconcern but full of affection within (86-90). The blessed Lord said:

Then he said to Arjuna: I am really surprised by what you propose to do in the midst of war. You call yourself clever, but you are not conscious of your ignorance. Well, if I wish to enlighten you, you raise various moral issues. When a person blind from birth becomes mad, he runs helter-skelter; your cleverness seems to me like that. You are ignorant of your Self and grieve for the Kauravas. This is what amazes me over and over again. Tell me, 0 Arjuna, do you support these three worlds? Do you think that this beginningless creation of the world is untrue (91-95)? When we talk of God as the originator of all creatures in the world, is it a mere empty talk? 4s it the case that you have created birth and death and the Kauravas will meet death only if you kill them? Or tell me, if you, deluded by egoism, refuse to slay them, will they live in eternity? Do not delude yourself that you are the one who kills, and they are the ones to get killed. All these things happen as ordained from time without beginning. Why should you then grieve over it without reason (96-100)? Not knowing this, you think the unthinkable out of folly and on the top of it profess to give us lessons in morality. The discriminating do not grieve over birth and death, as all our thinking about them is due to delusion.

Now listen. as regards ourselves and all these kings and others who have gathered here, it is not true to say that they will live long or meet with sure death. If you get rid of your delusion, you will realise that it is not so. What we see as birth and death are due to illusion, Maya; otherwise the entity which really exists is indestructible (101-105). Look if the wind produces ripples on the water, can we say that something is really produced? And when the wind ceases and the water becomes flat, what is it that has ceased? Think over it.

Consider this, although the body is the same, it becomes different with age. Perception itself is the source of knowledge for this. First we see childhood, which changes to youth. But the body does not perish with childhood. In the same way the conscious Self assumes many bodies. Whoever knows this does not suffer from the sorrow of delusion (106-110).

Man does not know this, because he is a slave to the senses. His mind is attracted by the senses and so he becomes deluded. When the senses perceive an object, and experience pleasure and pain, his mind becomes attached to the sense-objects. The senses lack definite relationship with their objects, and so they sometimes feel pleasure, sometimes pain. Now censure and praise belong to the sphere of the word, which, when heard, gives rise respectively to hatred and fondness. Soft and hard are the two qualities of touch; and its contact with the body produces joy and sorrow (11l-l 15). Likewise ugly and beautiful are the two qualities of form, which produce through sight pleasant and unpleasant sensations. So also fragrance and stink are the two forms of smell, and their contact with the nose gives rise to pleasure and pa1n. Likewise taste is also of two kinds according as it produces liking and nausea. Attachment to the sense objects corrupts a person. Those who depend upon the senses suffer heat and cold and are bound by pleasure and pain. The senses And delight only in the sense-objects and nothing else; this is the peculiar nature of the senses (116-120). What then is the nature of the sense-objects? They are like the mirage. or like the elephants seen in a dream, so never become attached to them; ignore them, O Arjuna.

He who is not entangled by the sense-objects does not feel pleasure and pain and does not become involved in rebirth. That which does not crone under the sway of sense-objects is eternal; know this, O Arjuna.

Arjuna, listen, I shall now talk of another matter, which those who think know well. (121-125) (All philosophers acknowledge that)

Latent in these conditioning factors, there is an all - pervading Self. Even when milk is thoroughly mixed with water. the swan separates them from each other, or one (the goldsmith) segregates the pure gold by heating the alloy (in a crucible), or one takes out butter skilfully by churning the curds, or one separates, by winnowing. the grain from the chaff (126-130); so when the wise cogitate upon the creation, the world disappears and there remains only the Self. Therefore, they do not ascribe existence to the transient things, as they have already determined the essence of both.

If you think over it, you will realise that what is inessential is illusory, and what is essential is eternal by nature. That from which these three worlds have sprung is not marked by name, colour or form. It is all-pervasive and transcends birth and death; even if one wishes to destroy it, it cannot be destroyed (131-135).

Thus, Arjuna, only these bodies are by nature destructible, therefore fight.

You identify yourself with your body and others with their bodies and think that you will kill and the Kauravas will be killed, without knowing the truth. If you think properly, you will realise that you are not the killer and they are not the ones to be killed.

What we see in a dream, we think that true in sleep; but when we wake up, nothing that we saw in sleep lasts. Likewise all this is an illusion, and you are unnecessarily confused. Just as if you strike the shadow of a person, you do not hit his body (136-140), or if you break an earthen jar filled with water, the sun's reflection in it disappears, but the sun is not destroyed with it; or even if the monastery is pulled down, the space inside it, which is of the same form, remains intact in its original form; likewise even if the body is destroyed the Self does not perish. Therefore, 0 friend, do not get deluded by mere appearance.

Even as a person throws away his old clothes and dons new ones, so the Lord of intelligence takes on another body.

The Self is beginningless and everlasting, without limiting conditions and pure, so he cannot be cut by weapons etc. (141- 145). He is not drenched in the water of the deluge, nor burnt by fire nor parched by the wind. So, Arjuna, the Self should be realised as eternal, unmoving and constant, existing everywhere at all times and perfect.

He is not comprehended by reason, O Arjuna. Meditation is ever yearning to meet him. He is inaccessible to the mind and unattainable by any means. This Supreme Person is beyond limit, O Arjuna. He is devoid of the three qualities, and is without beginning and change. He is devoid of form, but present in all forms (146- 150). In this way, O Arjuna, he is the inner controller of all beings. When you realise this, you will become free from sorrow.

But if, not knowing thus, you think him to be perishable, even then, O Arjuna, you ought not to grieve. Origination, continuity and end form a continuous process like the uninterrupted flow of river water. The river has an origin and it meets. the sea in the end; but its flow in- between appears to be continuous. Know that these three states belong to all beings and do not leave the creatures at any time (151-155).

So there is nothing for you to grieve about, as this world process is naturally without beginning. Even if this does not appeal to you, you should see that every creature is subject to birth and death, which are inevitable; so there should be no cause for grief.

Whatever is born dies and whatever dies comes to life; thus this wheel of life revolves continually. Just as the sun-rises and sets without interruption, so birth and death are difficult to avoid (155-160). All the three worlds perish at the time of dissolution, and therefore, origination and end are inevitable. If you accept this, why do you lament? Since you know it, why don't you grasp it fully? If you look at it from any angle, you will realise that there is no cause for grief.

All these creatures were formless before birth; they come to possess form only after they are born. When they perish they do not certainly enter a new form, but revert to their original state. (161-165) But whatever form is seen in- between is like a dream. So this world is a superimposition on Reality due to Maya. Even as water touched by breeze takes the form of ripples, or gold worked by a goldsmith turns into ornaments, or the sky becomes covered by a layer of clouds, so all the creatures are products of Maya. Why do you weep and wail over what is not there. Think only of immutable conscious self. By yearning for it and experiencing it the saints discard sense-objects, permits, on their part, become indifferent to the worldly pleasures (166-170) and the great sages take the vow of chastity etc. and practice austerities.

Some turned their inward eye to the Self and gazing at him lost sense of the world. Many others who sang his praises attained dispassion and became ever immersed in him beyond limit. Others, content to hear about him, lost consciousness of the body and became one with him through spiritual experience. Just as the currents of the rivers join the sea and return not, even if they are not merged with it (171-175), so the minds of Yogi who have become one with him do not attain rebirth through discriminating knowledge.

That which exists everywhere in all the bodies and cannot be destroyed, that is the conscious Self who dwells in everyone. By theire very nature all material things come to birth and die. Then why should you grieve over it? O Arjuna, I do not know why you cannot understand such a simple thing. This sorrow of yours is unseemly in many ways.

Why don't you even now consider it carefully? What are you thinking now? You seem to have become totally forgetful of your duty, which alone can save you (176-180). Even if something worse were to happen to the Kauravas or to yourselves, or even if this world cycle were to come to an end now, there is still your duty, which you should not renounce at any cost. Do you think that this compassion will save you? O Arjuna, that your heart should melt with compassion now is improper at the time of war. If cow's milk, which is good, is not prescribed as part of a diet, it may work like poison to a patient suffering form enteric fever. So if one takes a wrong step at the wrong time, one will go to ruin. So be on your guard (181-185). Why do you worry for no reason? Attend to your duty. If your perform your duty, no blame will attach to you. If a person walks on a beaten track, he will not come to harm; nor is a person who walks in day-light is likely to trip. If a person, O Partha, is Arm in the performance of his duty, he will accomplish all his desires without effort. If you consider it this way, there is nothing more proper for you warriors than a battle like this. You should therefore face your enemies free from guile. Need I say more, this is so self-evident (186-190).

This war has come to you, O Arjuna, by a stroke of good luck-nay, the treasure of all righteousness has appeared in that form. How can you call it a war? Your heroism has brought down the heaven in the form of this war. Or having heard the world praise your virtues, renown has come to choose its mate with intense love. When a warrior earns great merit, he comes by a war like this. Even as a person, while walking, comes across philosopher's stone, or a person, while yawning suddenly finds that nectar drops have fallen into his mouth, so this war has come to you as your best opportunity (191-195).

If you withdraw now from this war and grieve for nothing, you will cause harm to yourself. If you throw down you weapons in this war, you will defile the fame of your forefathers, lose your present repute and incur the censure of the world. Then all human foibles will seek you out and possess you. Even as a woman deserted by her husband becomes the object of scorn all along, such will be your state If your abandon your duty. Or just as vultures gnaw at a corpse on the battlefield from all sides, so if you fail in your duty, all human frailties will encircle you (196-200).

Therefore, if you neglect your duty, you will incur sin; and this disgrace will not be effaced even at the end of the world cycle. A wise man should live only so long as he does not suffer infamy. Besides tell me how you propose to get away from here. Even if you were to leave this place out of kindness and without malice, this action of yours will not carry conviction to the Kauravas. They will surround you from all sides and when they shower arrows upon you, your kindness will not save you. Even if you manage to get away unscathed, your after-life will be worse than death (201-205).

You have not considered another thing. You have come here ready and eager to fight. And if you now leave the battleground out of kindness, will your wicked enemies appreciate your motive?

They will shout," Arjuna has fled from here in fright". If this public opprobrium persists, will that be good for you? People win fame, O Arjuna, with great effort, even at the risk of their life. You have earned without effort and obstacles fame, which is unlimited like the sky (206-210). You have gained unbounded and unparalleled reputation, and your virtues are regarded as excellent by the three worlds. Even far-off kings sing your praises like bards; and after hearing them even the God of death is alarmed. Your great glory is as pure as the water of the Ganges; and its report astounds the great warriors of the world. After hearing your marvelous prowess, the Kauravas have lost all hopes of survival. Just as after hearing the lion's roar, even rutting elephants think the world-dissolution to be near, so you inspire dread in the minds of all Kauravas (211-215). As the mountain rates the thunderbolt or the snake the eagle, so the Kauravas appraise you likewise. If you now withdraw from this war without fighting, you will lose all your greatness and lower yourself in their eyes. Even if you wish to run away from here, they will prevent you from doing so. They will seize you, dishonour you and malign you in every way. Instead of letting your heart split in shame at that time, why not put up a brave fight now and enjoy the kingdom of the world by conquering them?

If you lay down your life fighting in the battle, you will enjoy the peaceful pleasures of heaven (216-220). Now don't brood too much over this matter, O Arjuna. Stand up with the bow in your hand and fight with valour. When a person performs his duty, all his faults become dissolved. How did you come to be deluded that you will incur sin by performing your duty? Tell me. Will a person who crosses a river in a boat get drowned? Will a person walking straight on a highway stumble? But he who does not know how to walk properly will miss his footing. If a person drinks milk mixed with poison, he will surely die; likewise a person incurs sin if he does his duty with the motive of gain. Therefore, if you perform your duty as a warrior and fight disinterestedly, then it is not sinful (221-225).

A person should not be elated by pleasure or depressed by pain, nor should he mind gain or loss. He should not feel anxious about victory in war or about loss of his life on the battlefield. While discharging his duty, he should bear patiently what falls to his lot. When his mind attains to this state, he does not incur sin. So you must carry on the fight without anxiety.

So far I have described to you in a nutshell Sankhyayoga; now listen to Buddhiyoga as settled (226-230). When a person masters this yoga, he does not suffer bonds of karma, even as a victor wearing a hard armour can bear the rain of arrows unscathed.

By this yoga one does not miss worldly pleasures nor liberation. If it is interrupted in the middle, it remains intact. One should live performing actions, but without an eye on their fruits. Even as an exorcist is not possessed by a ghost, so a right-minded and selfless person is not affected by ' external conditions (231-235). This right-mindedness is not affected by merit nor by sin; it is subtle, constant and untainted by the three qualities. Even if a little of this right-mindedness is acquired through merit, it illumines the mind of a person, and he loses all fear of worldly existence.

Even as a small flame of a lamp gives abundant light, one should not underrate right-mindedness, even though meagre. The wise, O Partha, aspire for it very much, but this right-mindedness is difficult to attain by everyone. Even as the phosphor's stone is not easy to obtain like ordinary stones, or a drop of nectar becomes available only by a stroke of good fortune (236-240), so this right-mindedness which leads to God-realisation is difficult to attain. Just as the river Ganga ends only in the sea, so this insight is the only knowledge which alms at nothing but God. Everything else is perverse reasoning, which is ever changing, and non-discriminating persons always take delight in ft. The latter, O Arjuna. attain only heaven, earth or hell, and do not get even a glimpse of the bliss of self-realisation.

They speak on the authority of the Vedas and endorse the Vedic rites; but when they do so they are attached to their fruits (241-245). They say, "One should be born in this world and perform sacrifices and other rites and enjoy the delectable pleasures of heaven. Other than these celestial pleasures, there is nought else, which conduces to constant joy," so say these persons of dull wit.

Overcome by desire, they perform works in order to indulge in sensuous enjoyments. They undertake many rites strictly according to religious precepts and perform their religious duty with dexterity.

But, O Arjuna, they do a wrong thing in that they long for heaven and forget God, who is the enjoyed of sacrifices (246-250). Even as one collects camphor and sets fire to it, or one cooks sweet dishes and mixes poison in them, or one kicks a jar full of nectar found by a stroke of luck, in the same way they lose merit through the motive of gain. Tell me, after making this great effort, why do they run after worldly pleasures? But what can one do? They are ignorant in this matter. Just as a house-wife were to cook good dishes and sell them, similarly thoughtless persons lose merit for the sake of worldly pleasures. Hence, O Arjuna, bear in mind that those who take delight in the letters of Veda have a perverse mentality (251-255).

Know for certain that the Vedas are pervaded by the three qualities. All the Upanishads and the like are endowed with the quality of goodness. Other religious texts are imbued with passion and darkness, as they speak of rites which lead to heaven, O Arjuna. Knowing that they only cause pleasure and pain, do not entertain them in your mind. Forsake this triad of qualities and give up the sense of 'Me' and 'Mine", and do not for a moment forget the bliss flowing from the self.

Though the Vedas speak of a variety of religious rites, we should accept only those which will conduce to our benefit (256-260). When the sun rises many roads come in slight; but tell me, can a person take to all of them? Or even if the earth is flooded with water, we take that much as will satisfy our thirst. So also the wise men reflect on the meaning of the Vedas and accept 6nly the eternal truth.

O Arjuna, listen. If your consider it this way, it is meet that you should perform your duty. After full consideration, I have come to this view that you should not give up your prescribed duty (261-265). But without hankering after the fruit of action or resorting to wicked deeds, you should perform only good deeds disinterestedly.

So, Arjuna, adopting Yoga and giving up attachment to the fruit of action, you should perform actions with diligence. Don't be elated too much, if you are lucky to finish the work undertaken; but do not become frustrated if, for some reason, you are not able to see it through. If the work is finished, it has achieved its purpose; but even if it remains incomplete, it is edifying (226-270). Whatever action you undertake, - you should dedicate it to God. Then you should rest assured that it is rendered perfect. This equanimity of the mind in regard to good and bad deeds is praised as the yogic state by eminent men.

O Arjuna, know that this equanimity of mind is the essence of Yoga, in which the mind becomes possessed of discernment. Compared to buddhiyoga, the path of action seems far inferior to it. But only if you perform action, you will attain to this yoga, culminating in the yogic state (271-275). Therefore, O Arjuna, keep your mind steady on this potent buddhiyoga by giving up desire for the fruit of actions. Those who pursued this yoga crossed over the worldly existence and went beyond the bondage of merit and demerit.

Even if the wise men perform actions, they are not affected by their results; and

so they escape the vexations of death and rebirth. When, O Arjuna, they become endowed with buddhiyoga, they attain to the eternal state of bliss.