Bhagavad Gita

Whatever is glorious, beautiful, or powerful in this world, know that it springs from a mere fraction of my radiance.

An eternal fragment of myself becomes a living being in this world, drawing to itself the mind and five senses that rest in nature.

Whoever offers me a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or even water with devotion, I accept that offering made with a pure heart.

Knowledge is better than mere practice, meditation is better than knowledge, and letting go of the fruits of action is better still — peace follows close behind that letting go.

Those who are resolute hold a single, focused purpose. The thinking of the irresolute branches out endlessly.

To one who has realized the truth directly, scripture is of no more use than a small well is when there's already a flood of water everywhere.

One who has strayed from the path of practice is, after a time in the realms of the virtuous, born into a home of the pure and prosperous.

To protect the virtuous, to end the wicked, and to firmly establish righteousness, I appear age after age.

I taught this imperishable teaching to the sun god; the sun god taught it to Manu; Manu taught it to Ikshvaku.

Neither the sun, nor the moon, nor fire illuminates that supreme abode, from which, once reached, one never returns.

Death is certain for the one who is born, and birth is certain for the one who dies. So you should not grieve over what cannot be avoided.

Just as the self passes through childhood, youth, and old age within this one body, it later takes on another body. The steady-minded are not troubled by this.

Always glorifying me, striving with firm resolve, bowing to me with devotion, they worship me with constant discipline.

With minds absorbed in me, their whole being directed toward me, awakening one another and constantly speaking of me, they find contentment and joy.

Only through single-minded devotion can I truly be known, seen, and entered into, in this way, Arjuna.

Through devotion, one truly comes to know me as I am. Having known me in truth, one then enters into that reality.

One who serves me with unwavering devotion goes beyond these three qualities and becomes fit for realizing the highest reality.

You have a right to your actions, but never to the fruits of those actions. Don't let the fruit be your motive, and don't let attachment turn into inaction either.

I am equal to all beings; none is hateful to me, none is dear. But those who turn to me with devotion live in me, and I in them.

The truly learned see with equal vision a wise, humble scholar, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and even one considered an outcast.

Even one of poor conduct, if they turn to me with single-minded devotion, should be regarded as righteous, for they have resolved rightly.

Fix your mind on me, be devoted to me, offer everything to me, and bow to me. I promise you truly, you will come to me — you are dear to me.

Fix your mind on me alone, let your intellect rest in me, and beyond doubt you will dwell in me from then on.

One who has realized the ultimate reality, with a peaceful mind, neither grieves nor craves, and remains equal toward all beings — such a person attains supreme devotion.

Free from pride and delusion, having conquered the fault of attachment, ever dwelling in the self, desires having subsided, freed from the dualities known as pleasure and pain, the undeluded reach that unchanging state.

You grieve for those who don't need to be grieved for, yet you speak like a wise person. The truly wise mourn neither for the living nor for the dead.

Dwelling on sense objects breeds attachment to them; from attachment, longing arises; from longing, anger is born.

If you cannot fix your mind steadily on me, then seek to reach me through the practice of repeated effort.

Learn this through humility, sincere questions, and service. Those who have seen the truth will instruct you.

For one who is moderate in eating and recreation, balanced in effort, and regulated in sleep and waking, practice becomes the destroyer of suffering.

Earth, water, fire, air, space, mind, intellect, and ego — these eight together form my divided material nature.

One who, undeluded, knows me as the supreme being, knows everything and worships me wholeheartedly.

There was never a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor any of these kings — and none of us will ever cease to exist in the future.

Fools disregard me when I take on a human form, not knowing my higher nature as the great lord of all beings.

There is nothing in this world as purifying as knowledge. One who is perfected through practice finds it, in time, within themselves.

Let a person lift themselves through their own mind, not degrade themselves. The mind alone is one's friend, and the mind alone is one's enemy.

It is better to do your own duty imperfectly than another's duty well. Death in one's own duty is better; another's duty brings danger.

As rivers flow into the ocean without disturbing its steadiness, so desires enter one who has attained peace — not one who chases after desires.

There is nothing higher than me. All this is strung on me, like pearls on a thread.

Calmness, self-control, discipline, purity, patience, honesty, knowledge, wisdom, and faith — these arise naturally from one's own inner character.

Among thousands of people, perhaps one strives for perfection; and among those who strive, perhaps one truly knows the deeper truth.

Thus I have explained to you knowledge more secret than any secret. Reflect on it fully, then act as you choose.

Great souls, Arjuna, taking refuge in a higher nature, worship me with undivided minds, knowing me as the eternal source of all beings.

Therefore, remember me at all times, and carry out your duty. With mind and intellect surrendered, you will surely reach me.

For one who sees me everywhere, and everything in me, I am never lost to them, and they are never lost to me.

Vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, freedom from hatred, and freedom from excessive pride — these belong to one born with a divine nature.

Established in yoga, perform your duties, releasing attachment. Remain even-minded in success and failure — this evenness is called yoga.

With your mind fixed on me, you will overcome every difficulty through my grace. But if, out of ego, you refuse to listen, you will come to ruin.

Abandon all other pursuits and take refuge in me alone. I will free you from all suffering; do not grieve.

The mind is indeed restless and hard to restrain — but it is brought under control through practice and detachment.

Having said this on the battlefield, Arjuna sank down onto the seat of his chariot, letting his bow and arrows fall, his mind overwhelmed with grief.

Speech that causes no distress, that is truthful, pleasant, and beneficial, along with regular study, is called the discipline of speech.

The divine dwells in the heart of every being, Arjuna, guiding them through the workings of a world that turns like a great mechanism.

I am the foundation of the eternal, imperishable reality, of everlasting righteousness, and of unending joy.

Humility, freedom from pretension, non-violence, patience, honesty, service to a teacher, purity, steadiness, and self-control —

Yoga is not for one who eats too much or too little, nor for one who sleeps too much or stays awake too much.

All worlds, up to the highest realm, are subject to return, Arjuna — but for one who reaches me, there is no return.

Whenever righteousness declines and unrighteousness rises, I manifest myself.

This is the royal knowledge, the royal secret, the purest and highest teaching — directly realizable, righteous, easy to practice, and everlasting.

Weapons cannot cut it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot wet it, and wind cannot dry it.

I am the source of everything; everything proceeds from me. Understanding this, the wise worship me with deep feeling.

They speak of an eternal fig tree with its roots above and branches below, whose leaves are the sacred hymns. One who knows this tree knows the essence of scripture.

To those who are constantly devoted and worship me with love, I give the understanding by which they come to me.

Giving offered simply because it ought to be given, to one who cannot repay it, at the right time and place, and to a worthy recipient — this giving is considered pure.

Goodness, passion, and inertia are the three qualities born of nature. They bind the imperishable self to the body.

Among all practitioners, the one who worships me with full faith, their inner self absorbed in me, is considered by me to be the most deeply united.

One by whom no one is troubled, and who is not troubled by anyone, free from excessive joy, envy, fear, and anxiety, is dear to me.

I am not manifest to everyone, veiled by my own power of illusion; this deluded world does not recognize me as unborn and unchanging.

The contact of the senses with the world brings heat and cold, pleasure and pain. These come and go, and are not permanent — learn to endure them.

Four kinds of virtuous people turn to me: the distressed, the seeker of knowledge, the seeker of gain, and the wise.

Whatever action a respected person performs, others follow. Whatever standard they set, the world tends to follow it.

Whatever state of being a person remembers when they leave the body, that state they attain — because that is what they have constantly dwelled on.

Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away, whatever discipline you practice — do it as an offering.

Wherever Krishna, the lord of yoga, stands together with Arjuna, the wielder of the bow, there will surely be prosperity, victory, and steady wisdom.

One who hates no being, who is friendly and compassionate, free of possessiveness and ego, equal in joy and sorrow, and forgiving —

Whoever explains this supreme secret to my devotees, having shown the highest devotion to me, will surely come to me.

Except for action performed as an offering, this world is bound by action. So perform your duty for that sake alone, free of attachment.

By me, in my unmanifest form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings exist in me, but I am not confined within them.