Bhagavadgita Parva — Arjuna's dejection of mind

Arjuna said If knowledge, O Janardana, O Keshava, is considered by you superior to action why then do you prompt me to this fearful action?

You confound my mind by equivocal words, (praising action once and praising knowledge next). Tell me definitely what is good for me".

The great one said I have told you, O sinless one, there are two paths in this world, that of the Sankhyas by Jnana-yoga (knowledge) and that of yogis by Karma-yoga (action).

Man does not attain freedom from action by not performing action. By asceticism also, he does not attain to final emancipation.

None ever remains for a moment without performing some action. All perform actions impelled by the qualities (laws) of Nature.

The deluded man, who, controlling his organs of actions, ponders in his mind over the objects of senses, is a hypocrite.

But he, who restraining his senses by his mind, performs Karma-yoga by the organs of actions, is superior (to all).

Therefore, always perform action, for action is better than inaction; and your body cannot be supported (kept alive) without performing action.

The world is bound in (by the laws) of action, except the action of Sacrifice. Therefore, O son of Kunti, being free from attachment, perform actions.

In olden times, Creator, having created men with Sacrifice, said; “Multiply by this. May it be the giver of all that you desire.

Please the celestial by this (Sacrifice); may the celestial please you. Thus pleasing each other you will attain to the highest good".

Being pleased by the Sacrifice, the celestial will give you your desired enjoyments. Therefore, he who enjoys himself without giving to the givers (celestial) is a thief.

The good men, who eat the leavings of the Sacrifice, are freed from all sins, but the bad men, who cook food for themselves, incur sin.

Creatures are the out-come of food. Food is produced by rain. The rain is produced by Sacrifice. The Sacrifice is produced by action.

Action is produced from Brahma; Brahma is produced from the Imperishable. Therefore, all-pervading Brahma is always in the Sacrifice.

The sensual sinful man, who does not conform. O Partha, to this Revolving Wheel, lives in vain.

But the man, who is attached to his own Self, who is pleased with his own Self, and who is contented with his own Self, has no actions to perform.

He has no concern in actions done or not done in this world. Not has he any dependence on any being.

Therefore, being freed from all attachments, perform actions. For, the man who performs actions without attachment, attain to the Supreme.

By performing actions alone, Janaka and others attained to final emancipation (Siddhi). (And again) having regard to keeping the people to their rites, you ought to perform actions.

Whatever a great man does, so do the mass. What great men consider authorities, the mass follow.

There is, O Partha, nothing to do for Me in the three worlds. I have nothing to acquire which has not been (already) acquired; still I do perform actions.

If, O Partha, out of idleness I do not engage in actions, all men would follow my example.

If I do not perform actions, all the worlds breeding, and I should be the ruining of the people.

Ignorant men act with attachment to actions, but the learned act without attachment to actions. Desiring to stick men to their duties.

a wise man should not confuse the mind of the ignorant who are attached to actions. He should make them take to actions, by himself acting without attachments.

Every thing is every way is done by the qualities (laws) of Nature (alone). He whose mind is deluded by egoism considers himself the doer of actions.

But, O mighty-armed, the wise men who know the difference (of Self) from qualities (laws of Nature) and from actions, feels no egoism, knowing that qualities deal with qualities.

The man of perfect knowledge should not shake the belief of the men of imperfect knowledge, who being deluded by the qualities of Nature, from attachments to the actions done by the qualities (laws) of Nature.

Therefore, dedicating all actions to Me, and knowing the Mystery of Self, engage in battle without desires, without any feelings (for any body) and without any mental trouble.

Those men who without cavil always follow my this opinion, being full of faith, are released from Karmabandhanam.

Know, those men, that carp at my opinion and do not follow it, are devoid of conscience and bereft of all knowledge and ruined.

Even a man of knowledge acts according to his own nature. All beings follow Nature. What then restraints (of the organs of action) will avail?

All senses have each their likes and dislikes for respective fixed objects. But no one should be under their control, for they are one's (great) opponents, (hindrances to final emancipation).

One's own Dharma, even if imperfectly performed is superior to the perfectly performed Dharma of others. Death is preferable in performing one's own Dharma for the Dharma of others is dangerous".

Arjuna said Then, O descendant of Vrishni, by whom impelled does man commit sin, though unwilling, as if driven by (some mysterious) force?

The great One said It is desire, it is wrath, born of the qualities of Passion (Raja Guna). It is greatly ravenous; it is greatly sinful. Know this to be the great enemy in this world(for final emancipation).

As fire is enveloped by smoke, a mirror by dust, the foetus by the womb, so this (true knowledge) is enveloped by Desire.

O son of Kunti, the knowledge is always enveloped by this constant enemy of the man of knowledge. Desire, is like an insatiable fire.

It is said that its seat is in the senses, in the mind and in the understanding. By their help it deludes man, enveloping his knowledge.

Therefore, O best of the Bharata race, brining your senses under control, cast off this sinful thing which destroys both knowledge and Science (experience).

It is said, great are the senses (over material body); greater than the senses is the mind; greater than the mind is the understanding. That which is greater then the understanding is the (Self).

Thus, O mighty-armed, knowing that which is grater than understanding, (i.e., Self), restraining Self by Self, destroy this unconquerable enemy, Desire.