HERE ENDETH CHAPTER III. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA, Ent.i.tled "Karma-Yog,"
Or "The Book of Virtue in Work."
CHAPTER IV
Krishna.
This deathless Yoga, this deep union, I taught Vivaswata,[FN#6] the Lord of Light; Vivaswata to Manu gave it; he To Ikshwaku; so pa.s.sed it down the line Of all my royal Rishis. Then, with years, The truth grew dim and perished, n.o.ble Prince!
Now once again to thee it is declared-- This ancient lore, this mystery supreme-- Seeing I find thee votary and friend.
Arjuna.
Thy birth, dear Lord, was in these later days, And bright Vivaswata"s preceded time!
How shall I comprehend this thing thou sayest, "From the beginning it was I who taught?"
Krishna.
Manifold the renewals of my birth Have been, Arjuna! and of thy births, too!
But mine I know, and thine thou knowest not, O Slayer of thy Foes! Albeit I be Unborn, undying, indestructible, The Lord of all things living; not the less-- By Maya, by my magic which I stamp On floating Nature-forms, the primal vast-- I come, and go, and come. When Righteousness Declines, O Bharata! when Wickedness Is strong, I rise, from age to age, and take Visible shape, and move a man with men, Succouring the good, thrusting the evil back, And setting Virtue on her seat again.
Who knows the truth touching my births on earth And my divine work, when he quits the flesh Puts on its load no more, falls no more down To earthly birth: to Me he comes, dear Prince!
Many there be who come! from fear set free, From anger, from desire; keeping their hearts Fixed upon me--my Faithful--purified By sacred flame of Knowledge. Such as these Mix with my being. Whoso worship me, Them I exalt; but all men everywhere Shall fall into my path; albeit, those souls Which seek reward for works, make sacrifice Now, to the lower G.o.ds. I say to thee Here have they their reward. But I am He Made the Four Castes, and portioned them a place After their qualities and gifts. Yea, I Created, the Reposeful; I that live Immortally, made all those mortal births: For works soil not my essence, being works Wrought uninvolved.[FN#7] Who knows me acting thus Unchained by action, action binds not him; And, so perceiving, all those saints of old Worked, seeking for deliverance. Work thou As, in the days gone by, thy fathers did.
Thou sayst, perplexed, It hath been asked before By singers and by sages, "What is act, And what inaction? "I will teach thee this, And, knowing, thou shalt learn which work doth save Needs must one rightly meditate those three-- Doing,--not doing,--and undoing. Here Th.o.r.n.y and dark the path is! He who sees How action may be rest, rest action--he Is wisest "mid his kind; he hath the truth!
He doeth well, acting or resting. Freed In all his works from p.r.i.c.kings of desire, Burned clean in act by the white fire of truth, The wise call that man wise; and such an one, Renouncing fruit of deeds, always content.
Always self-satisfying, if he works, Doth nothing that shall stain his separate soul, Which--quit of fear and hope--subduing self-- Rejecting outward impulse--yielding up To body"s need nothing save body, dwells Sinless amid all sin, with equal calm Taking what may befall, by grief unmoved, Unmoved by joy, unenvyingly; the same In good and evil fortunes; nowise bound By bond of deeds. Nay, but of such an one, Whose crave is gone, whose soul is liberate, Whose heart is set on truth--of such an one What work he does is work of sacrifice, Which pa.s.seth purely into ash and smoke Consumed upon the altar! All"s then G.o.d!
The sacrifice is Brahm, the ghee and grain Are Brahm, the fire is Brahm, the flesh it eats Is Brahm, and unto Brahm attaineth he Who, in such office, meditates on Brahm.
Some votaries there be who serve the G.o.ds With flesh and altar-smoke; but other some Who, lighting subtler fires, make purer rite With will of worship. Of the which be they Who, in white flame of continence, consume Joys of the sense, delights of eye and ear, Forgoing tender speech and sound of song: And they who, kindling fires with torch of Truth, Burn on a hidden altar-stone the bliss Of youth and love, renouncing happiness: And they who lay for offering there their wealth, Their penance, meditation, piety, Their steadfast reading of the scrolls, their lore Painfully gained with long austerities: And they who, making silent sacrifice, Draw in their breath to feed the flame of thought, And breathe it forth to waft the heart on high, Governing the ventage of each entering air Lest one sigh pa.s.s which helpeth not the soul: And they who, day by day denying needs, Lay life itself upon the altar-flame, Burning the body wan. Lo! all these keep The rite of offering, as if they slew Victims; and all thereby efface much sin.
Yea! and who feed on the immortal food Left of such sacrifice, to Brahma pa.s.s, To The Unending. But for him that makes No sacrifice, he hath nor part nor lot Even in the present world. How should he share Another, O thou Glory of thy Line?
In sight of Brahma all these offerings Are spread and are accepted! Comprehend That all proceed by act; for knowing this, Thou shalt be quit of doubt. The sacrifice Which Knowledge pays is better than great gifts Offered by wealth, since gifts" worth--O my Prince!
Lies in the mind which gives, the will that serves: And these are gained by reverence, by strong search, By humble heed of those who see the Truth And teach it. Knowing Truth, thy heart no more Will ache with error, for the Truth shall show All things subdued to thee, as thou to Me.
Moreover, Son of Pandu! wert thou worst Of all wrong-doers, this fair ship of Truth Should bear thee safe and dry across the sea Of thy transgressions. As the kindled flame Feeds on the fuel till it sinks to ash, So unto ash, Arjuna! unto nought The flame of Knowledge wastes works" dross away!
There is no purifier like thereto In all this world, and he who seeketh it Shall find it--being grown perfect--in himself.
Believing, he receives it when the soul Masters itself, and cleaves to Truth, and comes-- Possessing knowledge--to the higher peace, The uttermost repose. But those untaught, And those without full faith, and those who fear Are shent; no peace is here or other where, No hope, nor happiness for whoso doubts.
He that, being self-contained, hath vanquished doubt, Disparting self from service, soul from works, Enlightened and emanc.i.p.ate, my Prince!
Works fetter him no more! Cut then atwain With sword of wisdom, Son of Bharata!
This doubt that binds thy heart-beats! cleave the bond Born of thy ignorance! Be bold and wise!
Give thyself to the field with me! Arise!
HERE ENDETH CHAPTER IV. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA, Ent.i.tled "Jnana Yog,"
Or "The Book of the Religion of Knowledge,"
CHAPTER V Arjuna.
Yet, Krishna! at the one time thou dost laud Surcease of works, and, at another time, Service through work. Of these twain plainly tell Which is the better way?
Krishna.
To cease from works Is well, and to do works in holiness Is well; and both conduct to bliss supreme; But of these twain the better way is his Who working piously refraineth not.
That is the true Renouncer, firm and fixed, Who--seeking nought, rejecting nought--dwells proof Against the "opposites."[FN#8] O valiant Prince!
In doing, such breaks lightly from all deed: "Tis the new scholar talks as they were two, This Sankhya and this Yoga: wise men know Who husbands one plucks golden fruit of both!
The region of high rest which Sankhyans reach Yogins attain. Who sees these twain as one Sees with clear eyes! Yet such abstraction, Chief!
Is hard to win without much holiness.
Whoso is fixed in holiness, self-ruled, Pure-hearted, lord of senses and of self, Lost in the common life of all which lives-- A "Yogayukt"--he is a Saint who wends Straightway to Brahm. Such an one is not touched By taint of deeds. "Nought of myself I do!"
Thus will he think-who holds the truth of truths-- In seeing, hearing, touching, smelling; when He eats, or goes, or breathes; slumbers or talks, Holds fast or loosens, opes his eyes or shuts; Always a.s.sured "This is the sense-world plays With senses."He that acts in thought of Brahm, Detaching end from act, with act content, The world of sense can no more stain his soul Than waters mar th" enamelled lotus-leaf.
With life, with heart, with mind,-nay, with the help Of all five senses--letting selfhood go-- Yogins toil ever towards their souls" release.
Such votaries, renouncing fruit of deeds, Gain endless peace: the unvowed, the pa.s.sion-bound, Seeking a fruit from works, are fastened down.
The embodied sage, withdrawn within his soul, At every act sits G.o.dlike in "the town Which hath nine gateways,"[FN#9] neither doing aught Nor causing any deed. This world"s Lord makes Neither the work, nor pa.s.sion for the work, Nor l.u.s.t for fruit of work; the man"s own self Pushes to these! The Master of this World Takes on himself the good or evil deeds Of no man--dwelling beyond! Mankind errs here By folly, darkening knowledge. But, for whom That darkness of the soul is chased by light, Splendid and clear shines manifest the Truth As if a Sun of Wisdom sprang to shed Its beams of dawn. Him meditating still, Him seeking, with Him blended, stayed on Him, The souls illuminated take that road Which hath no turning back--their sins flung off By strength of faith. [Who will may have this Light; Who hath it sees.] To him who wisely sees, The Brahman with his scrolls and sanct.i.ties, The cow, the elephant, the unclean dog, The Outcast gorging dog"s meat, are all one.
The world is overcome--aye! even here!
By such as fix their faith on Unity.
The sinless Brahma dwells in Unity, And they in Brahma. Be not over-glad Attaining joy, and be not over-sad Encountering grief, but, stayed on Brahma, still Constant let each abide! The sage whose sou Holds off from outer contacts, in himself Finds bliss; to Brahma joined by piety, His spirit tastes eternal peace. The joys Springing from sense-life are but quickening wombs Which breed sure griefs: those joys begin and end!
The wise mind takes no pleasure, Kunti"s Son!
In such as those! But if a man shall learn, Even while he lives and bears his body"s chain, To master l.u.s.t and anger, he is blest!
He is the Yukta; he hath happiness, Contentment, light, within: his life is merged In Brahma"s life; he doth Nirvana touch!
Thus go the Rishis unto rest, who dwell With sins effaced, with doubts at end, with hearts Governed and calm. Glad in all good they live, Nigh to the peace of G.o.d; and all those live Who pa.s.s their days exempt from greed and wrath, Subduing self and senses, knowing the Soul!
The Saint who shuts outside his placid soul All touch of sense, letting no contact through; Whose quiet eyes gaze straight from fixed brows, Whose outward breath and inward breath are drawn Equal and slow through nostrils still and close; That one-with organs, heart, and mind constrained, Bent on deliverance, having put away Pa.s.sion, and fear, and rage;--hath, even now, Obtained deliverance, ever and ever freed.
Yea! for he knows Me Who am He that heeds The sacrifice and worship, G.o.d revealed; And He who heeds not, being Lord of Worlds, Lover of all that lives, G.o.d unrevealed, Wherein who will shall find surety and shield!
HERE ENDS CHAPTER V. OF THE BHAGAVAD-GITA, Ent.i.tled "Karmasanyasayog,"
Or "The Book of Religion by Renouncing Fruit of Works."
CHAPTER VI
Krishna.
Therefore, who doeth work rightful to do, Not seeking gain from work, that man, O Prince!
Is Sanyasi and Yogi--both in one And he is neither who lights not the flame Of sacrifice, nor setteth hand to task.
Regard as true Renouncer him that makes Worship by work, for who renounceth not Works not as Yogin. So is that well said: "By works the votary doth rise to faith, And saintship is the ceasing from all works; Because the perfect Yogin acts--but acts Unmoved by pa.s.sions and unbound by deeds, Setting result aside.
Let each man raise The Self by Soul, not trample down his Self, Since Soul that is Self"s friend may grow Self"s foe.
Soul is Self"s friend when Self doth rule o"er Self, But Self turns enemy if Soul"s own self Hates Self as not itself.[FN#10]
The sovereign soul Of him who lives self-governed and at peace Is centred in itself, taking alike Pleasure and pain; heat, cold; glory and shame.
He is the Yogi, he is Yukta, glad With joy of light and truth; dwelling apart Upon a peak, with senses subjugate Whereto the clod, the rock, the glistering gold Show all as one. By this sign is he known Being of equal grace to comrades, friends, Chance-comers, strangers, lovers, enemies, Aliens and kinsmen; loving all alike, Evil or good.
Sequestered should he sit, Steadfastly meditating, solitary, His thoughts controlled, his pa.s.sions laid away, Quit of belongings. In a fair, still spot Having his fixed abode,--not too much raised, Nor yet too low,--let him abide, his goods A cloth, a deerskin, and the Kusa-gra.s.s.
There, setting hard his mind upon The One, Restraining heart and senses, silent, calm, Let him accomplish Yoga, and achieve Pureness of soul, holding immovable Body and neck and head, his gaze absorbed Upon his nose-end,[FN#11] rapt from all around, Tranquil in spirit, free of fear, intent Upon his Brahmacharya vow, devout, Musing on Me, lost in the thought of Me.
That Yojin, so devoted, so controlled, Comes to the peace beyond,--My peace, the peace Of high Nirvana!
But for earthly needs Religion is not his who too much fasts Or too much feasts, nor his who sleeps away An idle mind; nor his who wears to waste His strength in vigils. Nay, Arjuna! call That the true piety which most removes Earth-aches and ills, where one is moderate In eating and in resting, and in sport; Measured in wish and act; sleeping betimes, Waking betimes for duty.
When the man, So living, centres on his soul the thought Straitly restrained--untouched internally By stress of sense--then is he Yukta. See!
Steadfast a lamp burns sheltered from the wind; Such is the likeness of the Yogi"s mind Shut from sense-storms and burning bright to Heaven.
When mind broods placid, soothed with holy wont; When Self contemplates self, and in itself Hath comfort; when it knows the nameless joy Beyond all scope of sense, revealed to soul-- Only to soul! and, knowing, wavers not, True to the farther Truth; when, holding this, It deems no other treasure comparable, But, harboured there, cannot be stirred or shook By any gravest grief, call that state "peace,"
That happy severance Yoga; call that man The perfect Yogin!
Steadfastly the will Must toil thereto, till efforts end in ease, And thought has pa.s.sed from thinking. Shaking off All longings bred by dreams of fame and gain, Shutting the doorways of the senses close With watchful ward; so, step by step, it comes To gift of peace a.s.sured and heart a.s.suaged, When the mind dwells self-wrapped, and the soul broods c.u.mberless. But, as often as the heart Breaks--wild and wavering--from control, so oft Let him re-curb it, let him rein it back To the soul"s governance; for perfect bliss Grows only in the bosom tranquillised, The spirit pa.s.sionless, purged from offence, Vowed to the Infinite. He who thus vows His soul to the Supreme Soul, quitting sin, Pa.s.ses unhindered to the endless bliss Of unity with Brahma. He so vowed, So blended, sees the Life-Soul resident In all things living, and all living things In that Life-Soul contained. And whoso thus Discerneth Me in all, and all in Me, I never let him go; nor looseneth he Hold upon Me; but, dwell he where he may, Whate"er his life, in Me he dwells and lives, Because he knows and worships Me, Who dwell In all which lives, and cleaves to Me in all.
Arjuna! if a man sees everywhere-- Taught by his own similitude--one Life, One Essence in the Evil and the Good, Hold him a Yogi, yea! well-perfected!
Arjuna.
Slayer of Madhu! yet again, this Yog, This Peace, derived from equanimity, Made known by thee--I see no fixity Therein, no rest, because the heart of men Is unfixed, Krishna! rash, tumultuous, Wilful and strong. It were all one, I think, To hold the wayward wind, as tame man"s heart.