All ChaptersMAHABHARAT

Chapter 18 of 18

मोक्ष संन्यास योग

The Yoga of Liberation and Renunciation

The culminating chapter: Krishna summarises all paths — knowledge, devotion, action — and delivers the final and supreme instruction: abandon all duties and surrender entirely to him.

78 verses

18.1

अर्जुन उवाच |

Arjuna said I desire to know severally, O mighty-armed, the essence or truth of renunciat…

18.2

श्रीभगवानुवाच |

The Blessed Lord said The sages understand Sannyasa to be the renunciation of action with…

18.3

त्याज्यं दोषवदित्येके कर्म प्राहुर्मनीषिणः |

Some philosophers declare that actions should be abandoned as an evil; while others (decla…

18.4

निश्चयं शृणु मे तत्र त्यागे भरतसत्तम |

Hear from Me the conclusion or the final truth about this abandonment, O best of the Bhara…

18.5

यज्ञदानतपःकर्म न त्याज्यं कार्यमेव तत् |

Acts of sacrifice, gift and austerity should not be abandoned, but should be performed; sa…

18.6

एतान्यपि तु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलानि च |

But even these actions should be performed leaving aside attachment and the desire for rew…

18.7

नियतस्य तु संन्यासः कर्मणो नोपपद्यते |

Verily the renunciation of obligatory action is not proper; the abandonment of the same fr…

18.8

दुःखमित्येव यत्कर्म कायक्लेशभयात्त्यजेत् |

He who abandons action on account of the fear of bodily trouble (because it is painful), d…

18.9

कार्यमित्येव यत्कर्म नियतं क्रियतेऽर्जुन |

Whatever obligatory action is done, O Arjuna, merely because it ought to be done, abandoni…

18.10

न द्वेष्ट्यकुशलं कर्म कुशले नानुषज्जते |

The man of renunciation, pervaded by purity, intelligent, and with his doubts cut asunder,…

18.11

न हि देहभृता शक्यं त्यक्तुं कर्माण्यशेषतः |

Verily, it is not possible for an embodied being to abandon actions entirely; but he who r…

18.12

अनिष्टमिष्टं मिश्रं च त्रिविधं कर्मणः फलम् |

The threefold fruit of action (evil, good and mixed) accrues after death to the non-abando…

18.13

पञ्चैतानि महाबाहो कारणानि निबोध मे |

Learn from Me, O mighty-armed Arjuna, these five causes as declared in the Sankhya system …

18.14

अधिष्ठानं तथा कर्ता करणं च पृथग्विधम् |

The seat (body), the doer, the various senses, the different functions of various sorts, a…

18.15

शरीरवाङ्मनोभिर्यत्कर्म प्रारभते नरः |

Whatever action a man performs with his body, speech and mind whether right or the revers…

18.16

तत्रैवं सति कर्तारमात्मानं केवलं तु यः |

Now, such being the case, verily he who owing to untrained understanding looks upon his …

18.17

यस्य नाहंकृतो भावो बुद्धिर्यस्य न लिप्यते |

He who is free from the egoistic notion, whose intelligence is not tainted (by good or evi…

18.18

ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं परिज्ञाता त्रिविधा कर्मचोदना |

Knowledge, the knowable and the knower form the threefold impulse to action; the organ, th…

18.19

ज्ञानं कर्म च कर्ताच त्रिधैव गुणभेदतः |

Knowledge, action and actor are declared in the science of the Gunas (Sankhya philosophy) …

18.20

सर्वभूतेषु येनैकं भावमव्ययमीक्षते |

That by which one sees the one indestructible Reality in all beings, not separate in all t…

18.21

पृथक्त्वेन तु यज्ज्ञानं नानाभावान्पृथग्विधान् |

But that knowledge which sees in all beings various entities of distinct kinds as differen…

18.22

यत्तु कृत्स्नवदेकस्मिन्कार्ये सक्तमहैतुकम् |

But that which clings to one single effect as if it were the whole, without reason, withou…

18.23

नियतं सङ्गरहितमरागद्वेषतः कृतम् |

An action which is ordained, which is free from attachment, and which is done without love…

18.24

यत्तु कामेप्सुना कर्म साहंकारेण वा पुनः |

But that action which is done by one longing for the fulfilment of desires or gain with eg…

18.25

अनुबन्धं क्षयं हिंसामनपेक्ष्य च पौरुषम् |

That action which is undertaken from delusion, without a regard for the conseences, loss, …

18.26

मुक्तसङ्गोऽनहंवादी धृत्युत्साहसमन्वितः |

An agent who is free from attachment, non-egoistic, endowed with firmness and enthusiasm, …

18.27

रागी कर्मफलप्रेप्सुर्लुब्धो हिंसात्मकोऽशुचिः |

Passionate, desiring to obtain the reward of actions, greedy, cruel, impure, moved by joy …

18.28

अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः शठो नैष्कृतिकोऽलसः |

Unsteady, vulgar, unbending, cheating, malicious, lazy, desponding and procrastinating su…

18.29

बुद्धेर्भेदं धृतेश्चैव गुणतस्त्रिविधं शृणु |

Hear thou the threefold division of intellect and firmness according to the Gunas, as I de…

18.30

प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कार्याकार्ये भयाभये |

The intellect which knows the path of work and renunciation, what ought to be done and wha…

18.31

यया धर्ममधर्मं च कार्यं चाकार्यमेव च |

That, by which one wrongly understands Dharma and Adharma and also what ought to be done a…

18.32

अधर्मं धर्ममिति या मन्यते तमसावृता |

That, which, enveloped in darkness, sees Adharma as Dharma and all things perverted that …

18.33

धृत्या यया धारयते मनःप्राणेन्द्रियक्रियाः |

The unwavering firmness by which, through Yoga, the functions of the mind, the life-force …

18.34

यया तु धर्मकामार्थान्धृत्या धारयतेऽर्जुन |

But that, O Arjuna, by which, on account of attachment and desire for reward, one holds fa…

18.35

यया स्वप्नं भयं शोकं विषादं मदमेव च |

That, by which a stupid man does not abandon sleep, fear, grief, despair and also conceit …

18.36

सुखं त्विदानीं त्रिविधं शृणु मे भरतर्षभ |

And now hear from Me, O Arjuna, of the threefold pleasure, in which one rejoices by practi…

18.37

यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम् |

That which is like poison at first but in the end like nectar that happiness is declared …

18.38

विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगाद्यत्तदग्रेऽमृतोपमम् |

That happiness which arises from the contact of the sense-organs with the objects, which i…

18.39

यदग्रे चानुबन्धे च सुखं मोहनमात्मनः |

That happiness which at first as well as in the seel deludes the self, and which arises fr…

18.40

न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः |

There is no being on earth or again in heaven among the gods, that is liberated from the t…

18.41

ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परन्तप |

Of Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaisyas, as also of Sudras, O Arjuna, the duties are distribu…

18.42

शमो दमस्तपः शौचं क्षान्तिरार्जवमेव च |

Serenity, self-restraint, austerity, purity, forgiveness and also uprightness, knowledge, …

18.43

शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं युद्धे चाप्यपलायनम् |

Prowess, splendour, firmness, dexterity and also not fleeing from battle, generosity and l…

18.44

कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम् |

Agriculture, cattle-rearing and trade are the duties of the Vaisya (merchant), born of (th…

18.45

स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः |

He who does actions, offering them to Brahman, and abandoning attachment, is not tainted b…

18.46

यतः प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां येन सर्वमिदं ततम् |

He from Whom all the beings have evolved and by Whom all this is pervaded worshipping Him…

18.47

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् |

Better is one's own duty (though) destitute of merits, than the duty of another well perfo…

18.48

सहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत् |

One should not abandon, O Arjuna, the duty to which one is born, though faulty; for, all u…

18.49

असक्तबुद्धिः सर्वत्र जितात्मा विगतस्पृहः |

He whose intellect is unattached everywhere, who has subdued his self, from whom desire ha…

18.50

सिद्धिं प्राप्तो यथा ब्रह्म तथाप्नोति निबोध मे |

Learn from Me in brief, O Arjuna, how he who has attained perfection reaches Brahman (the …

18.51

बुद्ध्या विशुद्धया युक्तो धृत्यात्मानं नियम्य च |

Endowed with a pure intellect, controlling the self by firmness, relinishing sound and oth…

18.52

विविक्तसेवी लघ्वाशी यतवाक्कायमानसः |

Dwelling in solitude, eating but little, with speech, body and mind subdued, always engage…

18.53

अहंकारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं परिग्रहम् |

Having abandoned egoism, strength, arrogance, desire, anger and covetousness, and free fro…

18.54

ब्रह्मभूतः प्रसन्नात्मा न शोचति न काङ्क्षति |

Becoming Brahman, serene in the Self, he neither grieves nor desires, the same to all bein…

18.55

भक्त्या मामभिजानाति यावान्यश्चास्मि तत्त्वतः |

By devotion he knows Me in truth, what and who I am; then having known Me in truth, he for…

18.56

सर्वकर्माण्यपि सदा कुर्वाणो मद्व्यपाश्रयः |

Doing all actions always having taken refuge in Me, by My grace he obtains the eternal ind…

18.57

चेतसा सर्वकर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्परः |

Mentally renouncing all actions in Me, having Me as the highest goal, resorting to the Yog…

18.58

मच्चित्तः सर्वदुर्गाणि मत्प्रसादात्तरिष्यसि |

Fixing thy mind on Me, thou shalt by My grace overcome all obstacles; but if from egoism t…

18.59

यदहंकारमाश्रित्य न योत्स्य इति मन्यसे |

If, filled with egoism, thou thinkest: "I will not fight", vain is this, thy resolve; Natu…

18.60

स्वभावजेन कौन्तेय निबद्धः स्वेन कर्मणा |

O Arjuna, bound by thy own Karma (action) born of thy own nature, that which from delusion…

18.61

ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति |

The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, O Arjuna, causing all beings, by His illusive…

18.62

तमेव शरणं गच्छ सर्वभावेन भारत |

Fly unto Him for refuge with all thy being, O Arjuna; by His grace thou shalt obtain supre…

18.63

इति ते ज्ञानमाख्यातं गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं मया |

Thus has wisdom, more secret than secrecy itself, been declared unto thee by Me; having re…

18.64

सर्वगुह्यतमं भूयः शृणु मे परमं वचः |

Hear thou again My supreme word, most secret of all; because thou art dearly beloved of Me…

18.65

मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु |

Fix thy mind on Me, by devoted to Me, sacrifice to Me, bow down to Me. Thou shalt come eve…

18.66

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज |

Abandoning all duties, take refuge in Me alone: I will liberate thee from all sins; grieve…

18.67

इदं ते नातपस्काय नाभक्ताय कदाचन |

This is never to be spoken by thee to one who is devoid of austerities or devotion, nor to…

18.68

य इदं परमं गुह्यं मद्भक्तेष्वभिधास्यति |

He who with supreme devotion to Me will teach this supreme secret to My devotees, shall do…

18.69

न च तस्मान्मनुष्येषु कश्चिन्मे प्रियकृत्तमः |

Nor is there any among men who does dearer service to Me, nor shall there be another on ea…

18.70

अध्येष्यते च य इमं धर्म्यं संवादमावयोः |

And he who will study this sacred dialogue of ours, by him I shall have been worshipped by…

18.71

श्रद्धावाननसूयश्च शृणुयादपि यो नरः |

Also the man who hears this, full of faith and free from malice, he, too, liberated, shall…

18.72

कच्चिदेतच्छ्रुतं पार्थ त्वयैकाग्रेण चेतसा |

Has this been heard, O Arjuna, with one-pointed mind?

18.73

अर्जुन उवाच |

Arjuna said Destroyed is my delusion as I have gained my knowledge (memory) through Thy g…

18.74

सञ्जय उवाच |

Sanjaya said Thus I have heard this wonderful dialogue between Krishna and the high-soule…

18.75

व्यासप्रसादाच्छ्रुतवानेतद्गुह्यमहं परम् |

Through the grace of Vyasa I have heard this supreme and most secret Yoga direct from Kris…

18.76

राजन्संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य संवादमिममद्भुतम् |

O King, remembering this wonderful and holy dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna, I rejoice…

18.77

तच्च संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य रूपमत्यद्भुतं हरेः |

And, remembering again and again, also that most wonderful form of Hari, great is my wonde…

18.78

यत्र योगेश्वरः कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धरः |

Wherever is Krishna, the Lord of Yoga; wherever is Arjuna, the wielder of the bow; there a…