Bhagavad

Gita
(Songs of the God)
Adi Shankacrya's Edition retold for Modern Readers
Chapter 1: Observing the Army
1. Dhritarashtra said: What did Pandu's sons and mine do when they assembled together
on the sacred plain of Krukshtera, eager for battle, O Sanjaya?
2. Sanjaya said: Having seen the army of the Pandavas drawn up in battle position,
prince Duryodhana then walked up to his teacher (Dron Acarya) and thus spoke:
3. “O guru, look at this grand army of the Pandu's sons, directed by the talented student,
the son of Drupada,
4. Here are heroes, mighty archers, equal to Bhima and Arjuna in battle- Yuyudhana,
Virata, and Drupada, the master of a great chariot (maharatha; technically means 'a
warrior proficient in military science who single-handedly can fight a thousand
archers),
5. Drishtaketu, Chekitana, and the valiant king of Kasi, Purujit and Kunti-Bhoja and
that famed man Saibya,
6. The heroic Yadhamanyu and the Brave Uttamaujas, the son of Subhadra and the son
of Draupadi, all masters of great cars (maharatha),
7. But remember, O best of the Brahmana, the most distinguished among us, the leaders
of my army, I name to you,
8. Yourself, Bhishma, and Karna, and also Kripa, the victor in war, Asvatthama and
Vikarna, and also Jayadratha, the son of Somadatta,
9. And many other heroes who have pledged to give their lives for my sake, fighting
with various weapons, are all well-skilled in battle,
10. This army of ours protected by Bhishma is inadequate, whereas that army of theirs
which is under the protection of Bhima is adequate. (some translate this purport as
opposite-as for Duryodhna declaring his army to be more adequate than protection of
Bhima),
11. And therefore all of you, occupy your respective position in every angle, and support
Bhishma at all times.”
12. His mighty grandsire (Bhishma), the senior of the Kauravas, in order to cheer
Duryodhana, sounded on high a lion's roar and blew his conch.
13. Then at once, conches and Kettle-drums, cymbals, drums and horns were played
upon, and the sound was tumultuous uproar.
14. Then, too, Madhava and the son of Pandu (Arjun), seated in a grand chariot yoked to
white horses, blew their celestial conches.
15. Hrishikesa blew his conch; Panchajaya, and Arjun blew his Devadatta. Bhima (the
doer of terrible deeds) blew his great conch Paundra.
16. Prince Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, blew his Anatavijaya, while Nakula and
Sahadeava blew their Sughosha and the Manipushpaka.
17. The king of Kasi, an excellent archer, Sikhandin, the master of a great chariot,
Dhrishtadyumna and Virata, and the unconquered Satyaki,
18. Drupada and the sons of Draupadi, O lord of earth, and the son of Subhadra, of
mighty arms, all together blew their respective conches.
19. That tumultuous sound rent the hearts of (the people) of Dhritarashtra's party, making
both heaven and earth resound.
20-22. Then seeing the people of Dhritarashtra's party regularly positioned, when the
discharge of weapons began, Arjuna, the son of Pandy whose ensign was Hanuman,
O King of earth, took up his bow and said thus to Krishna: “O Achyuta (Immortal),
 drive up the chariot between our and their armies, that I may just see those who stand
here desirous to fight, and know with whom I must fight in this bitter battle,
23. I will observe who are assembled here and are about to engage in battle desirous to
serve the evil-minded sons of Dhritarashtra.”
24-25. Sanjaya said: O descendent of Bharata, Hrishikesa (Krishna) thus addressed by
Gudakesa (Arjuna) stationed that excellent chariot between the two armies in front of
Bhishma and Drona and all the rulers of Earth, and said: “O son of Pritha, look at
these assembled Kauravas.”
26-27. Then the son of Pritha (Arjun) saw arrayed there in both the armies, fathers and
grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, and comrades,
fathers-in-laws and friends.
27-28. When the son of Kunti saw all his Kinsmen standing, he was overcome with
deepest pity and said thus in sorrow:
28-29. (Arjun said) “Seeing these kinsmen, O Krishna, positionsed and desirous to
fight, my limbs feel heavy, and my mouth is dried up. A tremor on my body and my
hair stands on end,
30. The Gandiva (Arjun's celestrial bow) is slipping out of my hand, and my skin is
intensely burning. I'm also unable to stand and my mind is whirling around, as it was,
31. O Kesava, I see omens of foreboding evil. Nor do I see any good from killing all my
kinsmen in battle.
32. I do not desire victory, O Krishna, nor kingdom or pleasures. What is a territory to us,
O Govinda? Of what avail are pleasures and even life?
33-34. They, whose sake of governing, enjoyments and pleasures are sought by us are
here standing, having risked their life and wealth. Teachers, farthers, sons as well as
grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-inlaw, grandsons, brothers-in-law as also (other
realtives).
35. O slayer of Madhu, I do not wish to kill them, though they want to kill me, even for
the sake of rule over the three worlds, I do not wish to kill them. For much less? For
the sake of the Earth!
36. O Janardana, what joy shall we incur after killing the sons of Dhritasashtra? On
killing these felons, sin only will take hold of us,
37. We better not kill our own kinsmen, the sons of Dhritarashtra, for, how can we be
happy, O Madhava, after killing our own people?
38-39. Though they, whose intelligence is struck by greed, perceive no evil in the
extinction of families, and no sin in treachery to friends, yet, O Janardana, shouldn't
we, who clearly see evil in the extinction of a family, learn to refrain from this sinful
deed?
40. On the extinction of a family, the immemorial dharmas of that family disappear.
When the dharmas disappear, impiety (adharma) over takes the whole family.
41. By the appearance of impiety, O Krishna, the women of the family will become
corrupt. With women corrupted, there will be inappropriate intermingling of castes
(Varna-samkara), O descendant of Vrishnis (Krishna),
42. Confusion of castes leads the family and the destroyers of the families also to hell,
for their forefarthers fall (down to hell), deprived of the offereings of pinda (rice ball)
and water.
43. By these evil deeds of the destroyers of famillies which cause the intermigling of
castes, the eternal dharmas of casts and famillies are subverted.
44. We have heard, O Janaradana, that neccessary is the dwelling in hell of the men
 whose family dharmas are subverted.
45. Alas! We have resolved to commit a great sin, we are endeavouring to slay our
kinsmen out of a craving for the pleasures of governing.
46. It would be better for me, if the sons of Dhritarashtra, with arms in hand, should slay
me unarmed and unresisting in the battle.”
47. Sajaya said; Having said thus, Arjun, with sorrow-stricken in mind, put aside his bow
and arrows in the middle of the battle field, and fell to the floor of the chariot.

Chapter 2. SANKHYA YOGA

1. Sanjaya Said: To Arjun, whowas overcome with pity and afflicted, and whose eyes
were full of tears and agitated, the destoryer of Madhu (Krishna) spoke as follows:
2. The Lord said: When did this, strait of dangerous thoughts has come upon you, this
weakness cherished by the unworthy, prohibiting yourself from Heaven and causing
disgrace, O Arjuna?
3. Don't give into unmaliness, O son of Pritha. It is not like you. Cast off this weakness
of hear and arise, O tormentor of foes,
4. Arjuna said; O slayer of Madhu, how shall I fight in a batlle with Bhishma and
Drona, who are worthy of worship, O slayer of enemies,
5. Better indeed live in this world begging than to slay the teachers of high honour. But,
if I was to slay these teachers, I should only enjoy the worldly pleasures of wealth
and delights stained with blood.
6. And, we don't know which is the better option for us, nor do we know whether we
shall conquer them or they will conquer us. Even the sons of Dhritarashtra, after
killing whom we do not wish to live, standing in combat against us.
7. My hear is contaminated by the tain of helplessness, my mind confounded about
Dharma, I ask you, tell is what is absolutely good. I am your student. Instruct me
who seeks for your grace.
8. I really don't see what can dispel the grief that is burning up my senses, even after
attaining unrivalled and prosperous rule over Earth or even lordship over gods.
9. Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus to Hrishikesa, Gudakesa, the tormenter of foes
(Arjun) said to Govinda, “I will not fight” and verily remained silent.
10. To arjuna who was grieving in the midst of the two armies, O descendent of Bharata,
Hrishikesa as if similing spoke these words;

(Purport By Adi Shankarcarya: The two armies of the Pandavas and Kurus have
positioned themselves for the battle. It is usual for the chief of the army to observe
the army on the other side before starting the battle. As shown in the start of chapter
1, Sanjaya describes Duryodhana observing the Pandavas' army. Similarly, Arjuna,
riding in Krishna's chariot, asks his chariot driver to pull the chariot to see who has
come to lay down their lives for him and the evil Duryodhana. And, when he does,
Arjun is struck by an extreme dilemma. He sees his relatives on both sides and is
overcome with grief, believing that they will all perish in this battle, the battle set up
to grant the Pandavas governance and the right to rule. Arjun loses his will to fight
after seeing those who were like fathers to him, namely Bhishma (grandfather) and
Dron Arcarya (guru). It is important to bring our attention to the way Arjun's thoughts
progress. It is not like Ajuna did not expect to see those faces in the battle, nor is it
usual for Arjun to break down this way before initiating the battle. Arjun, who had
been intensively trained in the art of war and spirituality and was one of Lord
Krishna's closest personal associates, was not supposed to break down in this way.
But even for a man of his character, Arjun had fallen into calamity like an ordinary
man.
First, the vision of his kinsmen triggers a reaction in Arjuna. Now, he is overtaken by
the thought that they all might die, thus bringing about the extinction of his family.
Seeing all his family members on both sides of the battlefield, Arjuna's steadiness is
hijacked by the progression of negative thoughts originating from his sense
perception, i.e., the vision of his kinsmen, especially Bhishma and Drona. Now, the
vision brings up all the loving emotions and memories of the two, resulting in Arjun
being completely overtaken by the negative emotions and projections triggered by his
sense perception. Falling deeper and deeper into his sorrow, Arjuna finally drops his
weapon and decides not to fight, saying that he would rather be slain than slay those
who are worthy of his worship. Extremely disturbed, confused, and fearful, Arjun
asks Krishna to tell him what is right for him to do. )

11. The Lord said: You are greiving for those who are not worthy of your grief, speak
words of wisdom. Wise does not greive for the living or the dead.
12. Never did I not exist, nor you, nor all these rulers of men here, or will any of us will
hereafter ever cese to be.
13. Just as in this body, the embodied (self) pases into childhood, youth and old agen so
does He (the soul/atman) passes into another body. Wise man is not distressed by
such.
14. The sense-contacts/perception it is, O son of Kunti, which cause heat and cold,
pleasure and pain, they come and go, the are impermanent. Endure them bravely, O
descendent of Bharata.
15. This wise man whom, is not associated with these (sense perception), to whom
pleasure and pain are the same, he is the one fit for liberation.
16. There is no ‘being’ of the ‘unreal’, and there is ‘non-being’ of the ‘real’. There are the
Truth seen by the self-realised.
17. But, know that, it’s because all the imperishable of the real is pervaded by that, which
is indestructible and in exhaustible.
18. These bodies of the soul, who is eternal, indestructible and inconceivable are said to
have an end. Therefore, do fight, Arjun.
19. Those who thinks the Self to be the slayer or the slain, does not know this Truth. One
does not slay or be slain.
20. The soul is not born, nor does He ever die. After having been, He never ceases to be,
or is he ever born. Unborn, eternal, unchangable, and primeval, He is not slain when
the body is slain.
21. He who knows the soul to be indestructible, eternal, unborn, inexhaustible, how, o
son of Pritha, does such a man cause to slay or whom does he slay?
22. Just as a man take off his old attire and puts on a new one, the embodied Self take off
worn-out bodies and enters others which are new.
23. The soul is indestructible to any weapons, fire, water or wind.
24. He cannot be cut, burnt, wetted or dried up. He is everlasting, all pervading, stable,
 firm and eternal.
25. The soul, it is said, is unmanifest, inconceivable and unchangeble. Knowing the soul
to be such, you should not have to grieve.
26. However, even if you believe the soul to be born and dead, even then, oh mighty
warrior, you do not have to grieve.
27. To that is born, death is certain. And, to that is dead, birth is certain. Hence forth, for
what is unavoidable, you must not grieve.
28. Living beings have their birth unseen, the middle seen, and their end unseen again.
Why lament about them?
29. Living beings have their birth unseen, the middle seen, and their end unseen again.
Why lament about them?
30. He, the embodied soul in everyone’s body, can never be killed. O descendant of
Bharata, you should not grieve about any creature.
31. In regards to your duty too, you must not waver. For, to a Kshastriya (in this case,
warrior or King), there is nothing more wholesome than a lawful battle.
32. Such delighted Kshastriya, finds a battle like this presenting itself, to be the door to
Heaven.
33. If you do not fight this lawful battle now, having abandoned your duty, you will incur
sin.
34. People too, will remember you with ever lasting dishonour, and to one who has been
famed, dishonour is more than death itself.
35. The great chariot fighters will think you have withdrawn from the battle because of
fear of defeat (not compassion). Having been highly esteemed by them, you will
incur their contempt.
36. And, your enemies too, expressing their contempt will spit out many abusive words.
What could be more painful than that?
37. Killed (in the battle), you will reach Heaven, victorious, you will enjoy the Earth.
Hence, son of Kunti, arise and resolve to fight.
38. Then, treating pleasure like pain, gain like loss, success like defeat, prepare for the
battle, and you will not incur sin.
39. This, which has been just taught to you, is a wisdom of Shankya.
https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/complete-works-of-swami-
abhedananda/d/doc493235.html
40. Now, listen to wisdom concerning Yoga. Yoga, that which once been established, it
will cast off the bondage of action(karma of dharma and adharma).
41. There will be no loss or effort here, there will be no harm. Even a little devotion to
yoga delivers one from great fear.
42. O son of Kunti, there is only one existing thought for a resolute-nature. Many
branched and endless are the thoughts of irreosolutes.
43-44. No conviction of resolute nature (buddhi- awaken mind) is formed in the mind of
those who are attached to pleasure and opulence, also to those whose minds are
drawn away by the flowery speech of the unwise- enamoured of Vedic utterance
(Vedas), declaring there is nothing else, full of desire, having heavenly dimension as
their goal- utter, that promises birth as the reward of action which bounds in specific
act for the attainment of pleasure and power, O, son of Pritha.
45. No conviction of resolute nature (buddhi- awaken mind) is formed in the mind of
those who are attached to pleasure and opulence, also to those whose minds are
drawn away by the flowery speech of the unwise- enamoured of Vedic utterance
 (Vedas), declaring there is nothing else, full of desire, having heavenly dimension as
their goal- utter, that promises birth as the reward of action which bounds in specific
act for the attainment of pleasure and power, O, son of Pritha.
46. What is the use of a reservoir to a flood of water spreading in all directions? The
same is the use of all Vedas for an enlightened Bhramana.
47. Be concerned with action alone, never with results of the action. Don’t let the fruit of
action be your motive, nor let your attachement result in inaction.
48. Firm in Yoga, do your works, O Dhananjaya, casting off attachment, remaining the
same in success or failure. Evenness/steadiness is called Yoga.
49. Verily activities (karma) are far inferior to Yoga of wisdom (Buddhi Yoga) Dhanajaya
(conqueror of welath). In wisdom of Yoga (Buddhi) seek your shelter. Degraded are
those whose motive is the fruit.
(Purport : Action performed by a seeker is far inferior to that of devotion to wisdom
(action performed with evenness of mind). Actions cause us to remain in Samsara.
Therefore, seek your shelter in wisdom of Yoga, rather in wisdom of Shankya, which
arises when yoga reaches maturity. That is to seek shelter in the knowledge of the
Supreme Reality. Wretched are those who resort to inferior action, who are incited to
action by thirst for its fruit.)
50. He who is endued with wisdom casts off here (in this life) both good and bad deeds.
Therefore, apply yourself in devotion. In regard to action, devotion is power.
(Purport : Devotion is performing one’s works while the mind is resting on Isvara
(the supreme personality) all the while, enabling one to remain equal to success and
failure. It is indeed a power, because works which are of a binding nature lose that
nature when done with evenness of mind. Therefore be equanimous.)
51. For, one in knwoledge cast off the fruit of action - they are released from the cycle of
birth and death (even in this life time), and reach the place beyond all miseries.
(Purport: or Buddhi mentioned in these three verses may be referring to (not just the
wisdom of Yoga) Shankya wisdom, the knowledge of the Absolute reality
(corresponding to the flood of water expanding out of the reservoirs), that arises
when the mind is purified by Karma-yoga. For it is said in Sloka 50 that wisdom
directly brings about destruction of good and bad deeds. Then when does that
conviction arise after the mind had been purified through Karma-yoga or devotion
through works?)
52. When your mind has crossed the mire of delusion (when we are no longer afflicted
by sense perception), you will become unreactive to what has been heard or what is
to be heard.
53. When your mind, after being perplexed by what you have heard, stand firm and
steady (in the trance of) self, then you will have attained ‘Yoga’ (reunion).
54. Arjuna said: O Kesava, what is the description of the person in steady knowledge or
steady in contemplation? How does a such person speak, sit and move?
55. The Lord said: When a man, when satisfied in the self alone, completely casts off all
the desires of the mind, then is he said to be one of steady knowledge.
56. He whose heart is not distressed in calamities, from whom all longing for pleasure
has departed, who is free from attachment, fear and wrath, he is called a sage, a man
of steady knowledge.
57. Whoso, without attachment anywhere, upon meeting with anything good or bad,
neither exults nor hates, his knowledge has become steady.
58. When he completely withdraws senses from sense objects, as the tortoise withdraws
 its limbs from all sides, his knowledge is steady.
59. Objects withdraw from an abstinent man, but not the taste. On seeing the Supreme,
his taste, too, ceases.
60. Dangerous are the senses, O son of Kunti, forcibly carry away the mind of a wise
man, even while striving (to control them).
61. Restraining them all, a man should remain steadfast, intent on Me (Vasudeva,
the inner most self of all). His knowledge is steady whose senses are under control.
62. When one thinks of objects, attachement for them arises. From attachement arises
desire, from desire arises wrath.
63. From wrath arises delusion, from delusion, failure of memory, from failure of
memory, loss of conscience, from loss of conscience, one is utterly ruined.
(Purport: From wrath arises delusion, a lack of discrimination between right and
wrong. Verily, when a wrathful man gets infatuated, he is led to insult even the Guru.
From infatuation follows failure of memory. Depsite the presence of favourable
conditions, no reminiscences arist of thing already impressed upon the mind by the
teachings of the sastras and of the teacher (arcarya). From failure of memory follows
loss of conscience (Buddhi)- the inability of the inner sense to discriminate between
right and wrong. By loss of conscience, he is utterly ruin,ed. Man is man only so long
as his inner sense is competent to discriminate between right and wrong. When it is
unable to do so, the man is utterly ruined. Thus, by loss of conscience (buddhi), he is
ruined, debarred from attaining human aspirations.)
64. He who is self-controlled, approaches objects with the senses devoid of love and
hatred and brought under his own-control attains peace.
65. In peace, there is an end of all his miseries, for, the reason of the tranquil-minded
soon becomes steady.
66. There is no wisdom to the unsteady, and no meditation to the unsteady, and to the
unmeditative there is no peace. To the peaceless, how can there be hapiness?
67.