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&D-GITA
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THE MISSION OF OUR MASTER
ESSAYS AND DISCOURSES
BY THE EASTERN & WESTERN DISCIPLES
OF RAMAKRISHNA— VIVEKANANDA
VIVEKANANDA < BRAHMANANDA
ABHEDANANDA g SARADANANDA
TRIGUNATITA g TURYANANDA
BODHANANDA = KRIPANANDA
VIRAJANANDA 2 SHARVANANDA
NIVEDITAs DEVAMATA
MISS WALDO 2 PARAMANANDA
PRINCIPAL CONTENTS
Historical Evolution of India The Common
Ba»ii
;
BY
ANN ^ 1
B.ESANT
FOURTH EDITION
G. A, NATESAN k Co , MADRAS.
Price Annas Four, *
t^jLoL
First
PREFACE
2068679
"
lv PREFACE
must be gained, equilibrium, so that th8 self, joined to
the Self, shall not be affected by pleasure or pain, de3ire
or aversion, or any of ihe " pairs of opposites
between which untrained selves swing backwards and
forwards. Moderation is therefore the keynote of the
Gita, and the harmonising of all the constituents of
man, till they vibrate in perfect attunement with the
One, the Supreme Self. This is the aim the disciple is
to set before him. He must learn not to be attracted
by the attractive, nor repelled by the repellent, but
must see both as manifestations of the one Lord, so
that they may be lessons for his guidance, not fetters
for his bondage. In the midst of turmoil he must rest
in the Lord of Peace, discharging every duty to the
fullest, not because he seeks the results of his actions,
but because it is his duty to perform them. His heart
is an altar, love to his Lord the flame burning upon it;
all his acts, physical and mental, are sacrifices offered
on the altar and onc£- offered, he has with them no
;
further concern, I
vi PREFACE
by passions and emotions, and in the higher processes
of reasoning; Buddhi is the faculty above the ratio-
cinating mind, and is the Pure Reason, exercising the
discriminative faculty of intuition, of spiritual dis-
cernment if these original words are not known to
;
use qi the Western word " God alike for " Brahman"
'
PREFACE vii
never uses the one for the other, and never blurs the
unity of the Supreme by the multiplicity of minister-
ing Intelligences.
My wish, in adding this translation to those already
before the public, was to preserve the spirit of the
original, especially in its deeply devotional tone, while
at the same time giving an accurate translation,
reflecting the strength and the terseness of the
Sanskrit. In order that mistakes, due to my imperfect
knowledge, might be corrected, all of this translation
has passed through the hands of one or other of the
—
following gentlemen friends of mine at Benares to —
whom I here tender my grateful acknowledgments
Babus Pramada Das Mitra, Ganganath Jha, Kali
Charan Mitra, and Upendranath Basu. A few of the
nptes are also due to them. In the third and fourth
editions I have also been much helped by Bibu
Bhagavan Das, to whom I add my cordial thanks.
ANNIE BESANT.
NOTE TO THE FIRST EDITION.
Q te^^m
^r^t
-
THE BHAGAVAD-GITA
THE .LORD'S SO N G,
FIRST DISCOURSE.
Dhritarashtra said :
^TJTmWJff m: m ^f^T^T: II S II
HffNTOS'^ a sr^ggsftsifpra; IM \ II
* Bhishma,
6 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
is doubtful.
FIRST DISCOURSE. 7
5If * 33TC I
Arjuna said :
%w m nwmw*ww$sft ^ II II
w*Tsfrwg^cT. ^\ ^ ttfu^w i
Arjuna said :
earth ? (35)
^T^T^fOT'fclcTHTcfcTTl^: II \\ II
cTW?TTff 1? f ^ VCTStTST^^F^R I
*5 IST§ f^ ^^ i^erif: n ^ II
* Dkarnia.
FIRST DISCOURSE. 17
Sanjaya said :
Sanjaya said :
^W^W^W^mWR^ II
'< II
* Literally, un-aryan.
t Literally, non-svargan cowardice iu the warrior
:
Arjuna said :
gsffcr SpngfaTjrf^iFi 11 * u
* Conqueror of foes,
20 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
rashtra. (6)
*Bharma.
22 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
:
^ 1 11 s n
Bbarata. (14)
* Tattva.
SECOND DISCOURSE, 25
^Tfiff*ffT% ^ *R m\^j II V5 II
* Dharma.
t A person of the second, the wariior, caste.
30 THE BHAGAVAD-G1TA.
heaven, (32)
* Buddhi.
* Sattva.
t A person of the highest, the priestly and teaching
caste.
3$ THE BHAGAVAD-GITA.
thou to yoga ;
yoga is skill in action. (50)
•
* Dwelling in yoga, union.
t Union with Buddhi, the innermost sheath (or
Vfhicle) of Atma t Buddhi,
SECOND DISCOURSE. 37
TO cT ^Tf^fa^ |f|aifclcTft«lfcr I
* Buddhi. t Sruti.
To union with Atma, the Self; yoga implies har*
|
mony with the divine will. The word translated con«
ten*p lation> is, as- before, -8ama4hi,
£8 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA.
Arjuna said :
mind.f (56)
poised. (61)
Supreme is seen.
f Manab. % Prajn&«
SECOND DISCOURSE. 41
* Krodha.
t Buddhi here implying specially Discrimination.
42 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA.
•Chetah. t Buddhi.
t Bhavana. § Manah. I!
Prajna.
SECOND DISCOURSE, 43
tftwuftfosr^gscrer w JrRfflcrr n \^ ii
Aijuna said :
* Buddhi,
THIRD DISCOURSE. 47
(6)
worthy. (7)
* Prajapati.
t Kamadhuk, the cow of Indra, from which each
could milk what he wished for hence the giver of;
desired objects.
50 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA.
<^TO^**«rcTfir gwJW*+S*^fa U \° II
(24)
gtfrr^StfScTTlNft sfBH^cW U ^ II
Arjuna said :
* Rajah.
" This " as opposed to "That " the
t The universe :
Arjuna said :
sS
of breathing.* (29)
w*^t t w c
Tftr farafcr mm n *i »
He who hath renounced actions by yoga, who
hath cloven asunder doubt by wisdom, who is
ruled by the Self,* actions do not bind him, O
Dhananjaya. (41)
*'
I do not anything," should think the harmo-
nised one, who knoweth the essence of things
seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating,
f^ier * 3 qm trsmfarwrsT IM o II
thoughts. (26)
* Nirvana.
FIFTH DISCOURSE. 85
* Manah. f Buddhi.
86 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA.
in yoga. (4)
Let him raise the self by the Self and not let
the friend of the self, and also the Self the self's
enemy ; (5)
* Sankalpa.
SIXTH DISCOURSE. 89
w
^€r ^crr^^Tcm PrTT#r^TR5Tf : in o n
WW *ti&m ^ fi^«nsPMI+<K n II II
- .'*"',. ' *» .
* Manaht
92 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA.
Me. (14)
* Buddhi. f Ohetah.
SIXTH DISCOURSE,
Arjuna said :
*TwJWT3«rr5r i
nriTTgtfq mW SI^UTfc^&T II ** II
* The Vedas.
l62 THE BHAGAVAD-G1TA.
mm m* Rt wj mtm cr*g g n i a
The Blessed Lord said :
l^mt %f ^tS^^TTcT^q^Rr^gr II ^ {j
* Manah,
104 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
JNPf: *m^2 W% € : m^ ?1 11 * II
men (8)
g^T ^: sfastf ^ cfsrarfar ftvrmr i
beings. [ am
toe R-»isou* of the Reason *-endow-
ed, the splendour of splendid things am I. (10)
•
ufar ^ RT^^ar Rnrfacrt eWrcf a n 1^11
This divine illusion^ of Mine, caused by the
qualities,* is hard to pierce ; they who come to Me,
they cross over this illusion.t (14)
qT^iSTfcTfTT^r WW MMHIpidt: U II II
* Gunas. t Maya.
% Asuras, the opponents of the Suras or gods.
108 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA.
(24)
tts wren E*tw $rimrcm*Tr! <r: I
* Buddhi,
SEVENTH DISCOURSE. Ill
Arjuna said :
srfaw ^r ^rs^tsf^rg^ i
that. (5)
S % 9Tfa Wt^Wt 3J3T?I'cT sf%*TH l
nature. (6)
^T^^ffe*^^^^ II « II
*Manah. t Buddhi.
EIGHTH DISCOURSE. 117
<rc*r
* Chetah,
118 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA.
fosrftr wm fl&fmr: I
pervaded. (22)
T& cfiM RFTT|faJTTSt% *N 3Tf*R: I
*Purusha.
t This, the universe, in opposition to THAT, the
lource of all,
EIGHTH DISCOURSE, 123
* Of the san.
t The Lunar, or astral body. Until this is slain
the soul returns to birth.
124 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
%^S m% 3*3 %*
u^TRTgfr %
R^fcf >ni|sfT ftrcTT: «mi
Empty of hope, empty of deeds, empty of
ll
( 16)
~- '
*Manah.
NINTH DISCOURSE. 131
* Vedas,
134 THE BHAGAVAD -GltA.
sewn
Thus in the glorious Upanishads of the BHAGAVAD-
Gita, the science of the ETERNAL, the scripture of
Yoga, the dialogue between Shri Krishna and Arjuna,
tbe ninth discourse, entitled
* Manah.
TENTH DISCOURSE.
gl«UfHH6Ffef: $W 33 W *W I
'
*r?craT *m\ snaj w sN ^n ^^rr: u % w
* BuddhI
140 THE BHAGAVAD GIT A.
* Buddhi-Yoga.
142 THE BHAGAVAD-G1TA,
Arjuna said :
it me. (13)
governors am I. (29)
Gang a am I.
orators I. (32)
* Pvandva.
TENTH DISCOURSE. 149
driVtWMt ft W fcftS$UCH«Mi im II
Arjuna said :
Sanjaya said :
* Ishvara,
ELEVENTH DISCOURSE. 157
Arjuna said :
t&W% ^ftfflCjMft: (I \* n
sg^mwg^r safe i
earth. (28)
Sacjaya said :
Arjuna said :
$W cTcf ftWP(l?q \\ \Z \\
* Being, Non-Being.
1?0 ' THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
cTc^TTRq- c^Wfinmi II v\ II
^srastarqictaJrera: ii v\ ||
fqar^ *m QisQ
g^sr
m: wmmm ^ Stih ii ** it
sfm^g^ I
3^1 ^r% I
Arjuna said :
4
iff $wt m sswfa ipm i
soot: i
Arjuna said :
reach. (5)
180 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
^HTc^fo^FT^rm^Tfon^q ii i ^ n
Better indeed is wisdom than constant-
practice ; than wisdom, meditation is better
182 ' THE BHAGAVAD-GITA.
^immi\T[^J q: b ^ r m: 11 n ||
* Manah. f Buddhi.
TWELFTH DISCOURSE. 183
* Amrita-Dharma.
TWELFTH DISCOURSE. 185
Arjuna said :
* Ahankara 1 Buddhi.
sickness, (9)
wri^tf m * ^^T^f^fcT n i) II
born. (20)
wombs. (22)
31sreTS3«T?cTT ^ *TcTT HTttTT *Tt^: I
' •
Prakriti. f Pumsha. $ Gunaa,
7
194 TITE BHAGAVAD-GTTA,
(23)
by the Self ;
others by the Sankhya Yoga, and
others by the Yoga of Action ; (25)
R4**wft«ivM *P ^% B T^fcT II V^ II
^5nfe^Tr9ryn^uqwR»?TS?(i?5!W: i
#fe«ted. (32)
* Prakriti. t Gunas.
THIRTEENTH DISCOURSE. 197
As
^ $NT cTCT W%
the one sun illumineth
S^micT W3 II V* II
Bhurata. (34)
*Prakriti
198 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA.
* Munis.
200 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA,
c
S^OTT WTfcT STT^ T ^fto 11 ^ I)
Bharata. (8)
cT^TT^ft^i ^r^l^TR^T^rcTq^rr II n* II
T*tf% %m ^cT
T^f OTflff I I
OB)
FOURTEENTH DISCOURSE. 205
Arjuna said :
qualities*? (21)
j
* Gunaa.
FOURTEENTH DISCOURSE. 207
(27)
stw. r
* Dharma,
FIFTEENTH DlSCOUPvSE.
* Gunas.
210 THE BHAGAYAD-G1TA,
ST 5<W$f cPTtasJWTct
form, nor its end, nor its origin, nor its rooting-
cTcT: ^ cTc^ftmftcf^^
tffcRTcTT ST H^f'cT WT: I
* Purusha.
212 THE BHAGAVAD-GITA.
untrained. (11)
w* ^rftnrrasi wr b^^rwh II * li
^ T
?fe*TCSWJ 32!cRT J TiS?qfSq: I
* Baddhi,
222 THE BHAGAVAI>GITA.
hell. (16)
SEVENTEENTH DISCOURSE).
Arjuna said
* Shraddha.
t The three qualities, Sattva, Rajah, Tamah, are
here used in their moral correspondences, and are
therefore translated as Purity, Passion, and Darkness
;
«[?fwst 3W St ^«: a n$ q: I! ^ n
The faith of each is shaped to his own nature,
O Bharata. The man consists of his faith *
is pure. (11)
"
* Mantrag. t To the officiating priests.
232 THE BHAGAVAD GITA,
"
* ©uru§. t Manah.
SEVENTEENTH DISCOURSE. 233
fleeting. (18)
ness. (19)
&34 THE BHAGAVAD'GIDA.
'
That alms given to one who does nothing in i
"
Therefore with the pronunciation of " Aum
the acts of sacrifice, gift and austerity as laid
is also called " Sat ", and action for the sake of
the Supreme* is also named "Sat." (27)
s^tt?t: i
* Tat.
SEVENTEENTH DISCOURSE. 237
EIGHTEENTH DISCOURSE.
Arjuna said
I desire, mighty-armed, to know severally
Manah. f Buddbi.
244 '
THE BHAGAVAD-GITA.
* Gunas,
EIGHTEENTH DISCOURSE, 245
passion ; „ (21)
^3tT. WW si&^ffiwtsw.
5TF?fl: i
* Pbarma.
250 THE BHAGAVAD GITA,
dark. (39)
* Gunas. t Prakriti.
t Karma ; arising from
it ii action the nature
fashioned by past thoughts and desires.
252 THE BHAGAVAD U1TA-.
* Karma.
EIGHTEENTH DISCOURSE. 253
j
plies also the law by which the next step in evolution
is made.
254 THE BHAGAVAD GlfA.
* Karma,
t Buddhi.
-EIGHTEENTH DISCOURSE, 255
Buddhi. f Manah.
X Some read "dby&nayoga",Yoga of "meditation,"
—
*W #3 Ca 3 *3tf% «**<* qu ** n *v n
* that,
EIGHTEENTH DISCOURSE, 257
* Buddhi-yoga.
258 TSE BHAGAVAD-«ITA,
* Karma. f M&y&.
EIGHTEENTH DISCOURSE. 259
* Manah,
260 THE BHAGAVAD GITA.
Me.f (68)
* Dharmass.
t Some read " asamsayah," which would mean
J*
being freed from doubts."
EIGHTEENTH DISCOURSE, 281
Arjuna said :
Sanjaya said :
* Literally "memory".
EIGHTEENTH DISCOURSE. 263
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