Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
श्रीभगवानुवाच	the Supreme Personality of Godhead said	śrībhagavānuvāca
इमं	this	imaṃ
विवस्वते	unto the sun-god	vivasvate
योगं	the science of one's relationship to the Supreme	yogaṃ
प्रोक्तवान्	instructed	proktavān
अहं	I	ahaṃ
अव्ययं	imperishable	avyayaṃ
विवस्वान्	Vivasvan (the sun-god's name)	vivasvān
मनवे	unto the father of mankind (of the name Vaivasvata)	manave
प्राह	told	prāha
मनुः	the father of mankind	manuḥ
इक्ष्वाकवे	unto King Iksvaku	ikṣvākave
अब्रवीत्	said.	abravīt

The Personality of Godhead, Lord sri Krsna, said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvan, and Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Iksvaku.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
एवं	thus	evaṃ
परम्परा	by disciplic succession	paramparā
प्राप्तं	received	prāptaṃ
इमं	this science	imaṃ
राजर्षयः	the saintly kings	rājarṣayaḥ
विदुः	understood	viduḥ
सः	that knowledge	saḥ
कालेन	in the course of time	kālena
इह	in this world	iha
महता	great	mahatā
योगः	the science of one's relationship with the Supreme	yogaḥ
नष्टः	scattered	naṣṭaḥ
परन्तप	O Arjuna, subduer of the enemies.	parantapa

This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
सः	the same	saḥ
एव	certainly	eva
अयं	this	ayaṃ
मया	by Me	mayā
ते	unto you	te
अद्य	today	adya
योगः	the science of yoga	yogaḥ
प्रोक्तः	spoken	proktaḥ
पुरातनः	very old	purātanaḥ
भक्तः	devotee	bhaktaḥ
असि	you are	asi
मे	My	me
सखा	friend	sakhā
च	also	ca
इति	therefore	iti
रहस्यं	mystery	rahasyaṃ
हि	certainly	hi
एतत्	this	etat
उत्तमं	transcendental.	uttamaṃ

That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend and can therefore understand the transcendental mystery of this science.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
अर्जुन उवाच	Arjuna said	arjuna uvāca
अपरं	junior	aparaṃ
भवतः	Your	bhavataḥ
जन्म	birth	janma
परं	superior	paraṃ
जन्म	birth	janma
विवस्वतः	of the sun-god	vivasvataḥ
कथं	how	kathaṃ
एतत्	this	etat
विजानीयं	shall I understand	vijānīyaṃ
त्वं	You	tvaṃ
आदौ	in the beginning	ādau
प्रोक्तवान्	instructed	proktavān
इति	thus.	iti

Arjuna said: The sun-god Vivasvan is senior by birth to You. How am I to understand that in the beginning You instructed this science to him?

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
श्रीभगवानुवाच	the Personality of Godhead said	śrībhagavānuvāca
बहूनि	many	bahūni
मे	of Mine	me
व्यतीतानि	have passed	vyatītāni
जन्मानि	births	janmāni
तव	of yours	tava
च	and also	ca
अर्जुन	O Arjuna	arjuna
तानि	those	tāni
अहं	I	ahaṃ
वेद	do know	veda
सर्वाणि	all	sarvāṇi
न	not	na
त्वं	you	tvaṃ
वेत्थ	know	vettha
परन्तप	O subduer of the enemy.	parantapa

The Personality of Godhead said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
अजः	unborn	ajaḥ
अपि	although	api
सन्	being so	san
अव्यय	without deterioration	avyaya
आत्मा	body	ātmā
भूतानां	of all those who are born	bhūtānāṃ
ईश्वरः	the Supreme Lord	īśvaraḥ
अपि	although	api
सन्	being so	san
प्रकृतिं	in the transcendental form	prakṛtiṃ
स्वां	of Myself	svāṃ
अधिष्ठाय	being so situated	adhiṣṭhāya
सम्भवामि	I do incarnate	sambhavāmi
आत्ममायया	by My internal energy.	ātmamāyayā

Although I am unborn and My transcendental body never deteriorates, and although I am the Lord of all living entities, I still appear in every millennium in My original transcendental form.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
यदा यदा	whenever and wherever	yadā yadā
हि	certainly	hi
धर्मस्य	of religion	dharmasya
ग्लानिः	discrepancies	glāniḥ
भवति	become manifested	bhavati
भारत	O descendant of Bharata	bhārata
अभ्युत्थानं	predominance	abhyutthānaṃ
अधर्मस्य	of irreligion	adharmasya
तदा	at that time	tadā
आत्मानं	self	ātmānaṃ
सृजामि	manifest	sṛjāmi

Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion – at that time I descend Myself.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
अहं	I.	ahaṃ
परित्राणाय	for the deliverance	paritrāṇāya
साधूनां	of the devotees	sādhūnāṃ
विनाशाय	for the annihilation	vināśāya
च	and	ca
दुष्कृतां	of the miscreants	duṣkṛtāṃ
धर्म	principles of religion	dharma
संस्थापनार्थाय	to reestablish	saṃsthāpanārthāya
सम्भवामि	I do appear	sambhavāmi
युगे	millennium	yuge
युगे	after millennium.	yuge

To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
जन्म	birth	janma
कर्म	work	karma
च	also	ca
मे	of Mine	me
दिव्यं	transcendental	divyaṃ
एवं	like this	evaṃ
यः	anyone who	yaḥ
वेत्ति	knows	vetti
तत्त्वतः	in reality	tattvataḥ
त्यक्त्वा	leaving aside	tyaktvā
देहं	this body	dehaṃ
पुनः	again	punaḥ
जन्म	birth	janma
न	never	na
एति	does attain	eti
मां	unto Me	māṃ
एति	does attain	eti
सः	he	saḥ
अर्जुन	O Arjuna.	arjuna

One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
वीत	freed from	vīta
राग	attachment	rāga
भय	fear	bhaya
क्रोधः	and anger	krodhaḥ
मन्मया	fully in Me	manmayā
मां	in Me	māṃ
उपाश्रिताः	being fully situated	upāśritāḥ
बहवः	many	bahavaḥ
ज्ञान	of knowledge	jñāna
तपसा	by the penance	tapasā
पूताः	being purified	pūtāḥ
मद्भावं	transcendental love for Me	madbhāvaṃ
आगताः	attained.	āgatāḥ

Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified by knowledge of Me – and thus they all attained transcendental love for Me.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
ये	all who	ye
यथा	as	yathā
मां	unto Me	māṃ
प्रपद्यन्ते	surrender	prapadyante
तान्	them	tān
तथा	so	tathā
एव	certainly	eva
भजामि	reward	bhajāmi
अहं	I	ahaṃ
मम	My	mama
वर्त्म	path	vartma
अनुवर्तन्ते	follow	anuvartante
मनुष्याः	all men	manuṣyāḥ
पार्थ	O son of Pritha	pārtha
सर्वशः	in all respects.	sarvaśaḥ

As all surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Prtha.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
काङ्क्षन्तः	desiring	kāṅkṣantaḥ
कर्मणां	of fruitive activities	karmaṇāṃ
सिद्धिं	perfection	siddhiṃ
यजन्ते	they worship by sacrifices	yajante
इह	in the material world	iha
देवताः	the demigods	devatāḥ
क्षिप्रं	very quickly	kṣipraṃ
हि	certainly	hi
मानुषे	in human society	mānuṣe
लोके	within this world	loke
सिद्धिः	success	siddhiḥ
भवति	comes	bhavati
कर्मजा	from fruitive work.	karmajā

Men in this world desire success in fruitive activities, and therefore they worship the demigods. Quickly, of course, men get results from fruitive work in this world.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
चातुर्वर्ण्यं	the four divisions of human society	cāturvarṇyaṃ
मया	by Me	mayā
सृष्ट्वा	created	sṛṣṭvā
गुण	of quality	guṇa
कर्म	and work	karma
विभागशः	in terms of division	vibhāgaśaḥ
तस्य	of that	tasya
कर्तारं	the father	kartāraṃ
अपि	although	api
मां	Me	māṃ
विद्धि	you may know	viddhi
अकर्तारं	as the nondoer	akartāraṃ
अव्ययं	unchangeable.	avyayaṃ

According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me. And although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the nondoer, being unchangeable.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
न	never	na
मां	Me	māṃ
कर्माणि	all kinds of work	karmāṇi
लिम्पन्ति	do affect	limpanti
न	nor	na
मे	My	me
कर्मफले	in fruitive action	karmaphale
स्पृहा	aspiration	spṛhā
इति	thus	iti
मां	Me	māṃ
यः	one who	yaḥ
अभिजानाति	does know	abhijānāti
कर्मभिः	by the reaction of such work	karmabhiḥ
न	never	na
सः	he	saḥ
बध्यते	becomes entangled.	badhyate

There is no work that affects Me; nor do I aspire for the fruits of action. One who understands this truth about Me also does not become entangled in the fruitive reactions of work.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
एवं	thus	evaṃ
ज्ञात्वा	knowing well	jñātvā
कृतं	was performed	kṛtaṃ
कर्म	work	karma
पूर्वैः	by past authorities	pūrvaiḥ
अपि	indeed	api
मुमुक्षुभिः	who attained liberation	mumukṣubhiḥ
कुरु	just perform	kuru
कर्म	prescribed duty	karma
एव	certainly	eva
तस्मात्	therefore	tasmāt
त्वं	you	tvaṃ
पूर्वैः	by the predecessors	pūrvaiḥ
पूर्वतरं	in ancient times	pūrvataraṃ
कृतं	as performed.	kṛtaṃ

All the liberated souls in ancient times acted with this understanding of My transcendental nature. Therefore you should perform your duty, following in their footsteps.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
किं	what is	kiṃ
कर्म	action	karma
किं	what is	kiṃ
अकर्म	inaction	akarma
इति	thus	iti
कवयः	the intelligent	kavayaḥ
अपि	also	api
अत्र	in this matter	atra
मोहिताः	are bewildered	mohitāḥ
तत्	that	tat
ते	unto you	te
कर्म	work	karma
प्रवक्ष्यामि	I shall explain	pravakṣyāmi
यत्	which	yat
ज्ञात्वा	knowing	jñātvā
मोक्ष्यसे	you will be liberated	mokṣyase
अशुभात्	from ill fortune.	aśubhāt

Even the intelligent are bewildered in determining what is action and what is inaction. Now I shall explain to you what action is, knowing which you shall be liberated from all misfortune.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
कर्मणः	of work	karmaṇaḥ
हि	certainly	hi
अपि	also	api
बोद्धव्यं	should be understood	boddhavyaṃ
बोद्धव्यं	should be understood	boddhavyaṃ
च	also	ca
विकर्मणः	of forbidden work	vikarmaṇaḥ
अकर्मणः	of inaction	akarmaṇaḥ
च	also	ca
बोद्धव्यं	should be understood	boddhavyaṃ
गहना	very difficult	gahanā
कर्मणः	of work	karmaṇaḥ
गतिः	entrance.	gatiḥ

The intricacies of action are very hard to understand. Therefore one should know properly what action is, what forbidden action is and what inaction is.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
कर्मणि	in action	karmaṇi
अकर्म	inaction	akarma
यः	one who	yaḥ
पश्येत्	observes	paśyet
अकर्मणि	in inaction	akarmaṇi
च	also	ca
कर्म	fruitive action	karma
यः	one who	yaḥ
सः	he	saḥ
बुद्धिमान्	is intelligent	buddhimān
मनुष्येषु	in human society	manuṣyeṣu
सः	he	saḥ
युक्तः	is in the transcendental position	yuktaḥ
कृत्स्नकर्मकृत्	although engaged in all activities.	kṛtsnakarmakṛt

One who sees inaction in action and action in inaction is intelligent among men, and he is in the transcendental position, although engaged in all sorts of activities.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
यस्य	one whose	yasya
सर्वे	all sorts of	sarve
समारम्भाः	attempts	samārambhāḥ
काम	based on desire for sense gratification	kāma
सङ्कल्प	determination	saṅkalpa
वर्जिताः	are devoid of	varjitāḥ
ज्ञान	of perfect knowledge	jñāna
अग्नि	by the fire	agni
दग्ध	burned	dagdha
कर्माणां	whose work	karmāṇāṃ
तं	him	taṃ
आहुः	declare	āhuḥ
पण्डितं	learned	paṇḍitaṃ
बुधाः	those who know.	budhāḥ

One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every endeavor is devoid of desire for sense gratification. He is said by sages to be a worker for whom the reactions of work have been burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
त्यक्त्वा	having given up	tyaktvā
कर्मफलासङ्गं	attachment for fruitive results	karmaphalāsaṅgaṃ
नित्य	always	nitya
तृप्तः	being satisfied	tṛptaḥ
निराश्रयः	without any shelter	nirāśrayaḥ
कर्मणि	in activity	karmaṇi
अभिप्रवृत्तः	being fully engaged	abhipravṛttaḥ
अपि	in spite of	api
न	does not	na
एव	certainly	eva
किञ्चित्	anything	kiñcit
करोति	do	karoti
सः	he.	saḥ

Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of undertakings.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
निराशीः	without desire for the result	nirāśīḥ
यत	controlled	yata
चित्तात्मा	mind and intelligence	cittātmā
त्यक्त	giving up	tyakta
सर्व	all	sarva
परिग्रहः	sense of proprietorship over possessions	parigrahaḥ
शारीरं	in keeping body and soul together	śārīraṃ
केवलं	only	kevalaṃ
कर्म	work	karma
कुर्वान्	doing	kurvān
न	never	na
आप्नोति	does acquire	āpnoti
किल्बिशं	sinful reactions.	kilbiśaṃ

Such a man of understanding acts with mind and intelligence perfectly controlled, gives up all sense of proprietorship over his possessions and acts only for the bare necessities of life. Thus working, he is not affected by sinful reactions.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
यदृच्छा	out of its own accord	yadṛcchā
लाभ	with gain	lābha
सन्तुष्टः	satisfied	santuṣṭaḥ
द्वन्द्व	duality	dvandva
अतीतः	surpassed	atītaḥ
विमत्सरः	free from envy	vimatsaraḥ
समः	steady	samaḥ
सिद्धौ	in success	siddhau
असिद्धौ	failure	asiddhau
च	also	ca
कृत्वा	doing	kṛtvā
अपि	although	api
न	never	na
निबध्यते	becomes affected.	nibadhyate

He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady in both success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
गतसङ्गस्य	of one unattached to the modes of material nature	gatasaṅgasya
मुक्तस्य	of the liberated	muktasya
ज्ञानावस्थित	situated in transcendence	jñānāvasthita
चेतसः	whose wisdom	cetasaḥ
यज्ञाय	for the sake of Yajna (KRiShNa)	yajñāya
आचरतः	acting	ācarataḥ
कर्म	work	karma
समग्रं	in total	samagraṃ
प्रविलीयते	merges entirely.	pravilīyate

The work of a man who is unattached to the modes of material nature and who is fully situated in transcendental knowledge merges entirely into transcendence.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
ब्रह्म	spiritual in nature	brahma
अर्पणं	contribution	arpaṇaṃ
ब्रह्म	the Supreme	brahma
हविः	butter	haviḥ
ब्रह्म	spiritual	brahma
अग्नौ	in the fire of consummation	agnau
ब्रह्मणा	by the spirit soul	brahmaṇā
हुतं	offered	hutaṃ
ब्रह्म	spiritual kingdom	brahma
एव	certainly	eva
तेन	by him	tena
गन्तव्यं	to be reached	gantavyaṃ
ब्रह्म	spiritual	brahma
कर्म	in activities	karma
समाधिना	by complete absorption.	samādhinā

A person who is fully absorbed in Krsna consciousness is sure to attain the spiritual kingdom because of his full contribution to spiritual activities, in which the consummation is absolute and that which is offered is of the same spiritual nature.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
दैवं	in worshiping the demigods	daivaṃ
एव	like this	eva
अपरे	some others	apare
यज्ञं	sacrifices	yajñaṃ
योगिनः	mystics	yoginaḥ
पर्युपासते	worship perfectly	paryupāsate
ब्रह्म	of the Absolute Truth	brahma
अग्नौ	in the fire	agnau
अपरे	others	apare
यज्ञं	sacrifice	yajñaṃ
यज्ञेन	by sacrifice	yajñena
एव	thus	eva
उपजुह्वति	offer.	upajuhvati

Some yogis perfectly worship the demigods by offering different sacrifices to them, and some offer sacrifices in the fire of the Supreme Brahman.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
श्रोत्रादीनि	such as the hearing process	śrotrādīni
इन्द्रियाणि	senses	indriyāṇi
अन्ये	others	anye
संयम	of restraint	saṃyama
अग्निषु	in the fires	agniṣu
जुह्वति	offer	juhvati
शब्दादिन्	sound vibration, etc.	śabdādin
विषयान्	objects of sense gratification	viṣayān
अन्ये	others	anye
इन्द्रिय	of the sense organs	indriya
अग्निषु	in the fires	agniṣu
जुह्वति	they sacrifice.	juhvati

Some [the unadulterated brahmacaris] sacrifice the hearing process and the senses in the fire of mental control, and others [the regulated householders] sacrifice the objects of the senses in the fire of the senses.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
कर्माणि	functions	karmāṇi
सर्वाणि	of all	sarvāṇi
इन्द्रिय	the senses	indriya
प्राणकर्माणि	functions of the life breath	prāṇakarmāṇi
च	also	ca
अपरे	others	apare
आत्मसंयम	of controlling the mind	ātmasaṃyama
योग	the linking process	yoga
अग्नौ	in the fire of	agnau
जुह्वति	offer	juhvati
ज्ञानदीपिते	because of the urge for self-realization.	jñānadīpite

Others, who are interested in achieving self-realization through control of the mind and senses, offer the functions of all the senses, and of the life breath, as oblations into the fire of the controlled mind.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
द्रव्ययज्ञाः	sacrificing one's possessions	dravyayajñāḥ
तपोयज्ञाः	sacrifice in austerities	tapoyajñāḥ
योगयज्ञाः	sacrifice in eightfold mysticism	yogayajñāḥ
तथा	thus	tathā
अपरे	others	apare
स्वाध्याय	sacrifice in the study of the Vedas	svādhyāya
ज्ञानयज्ञाः	sacrifice in advancement of transcendental knowledge	jñānayajñāḥ
च	also	ca
यतयः	enlightened persons	yatayaḥ
संशितव्रताः	taken to strict vows.	saṃśitavratāḥ

Having accepted strict vows, some become enlightened by sacrificing their possessions, and others by performing severe austerities, by practicing the yoga of eightfold mysticism, or by studying the Vedas to advance in transcendental knowledge.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
अपाने	in the air which acts downward	apāne
जुह्वति	offer	juhvati
प्राणं	the air which acts outward	prāṇaṃ
प्राणे	in the air going outward	prāṇe
अपानं	the air going downward	apānaṃ
तथा	as also	tathā
अपरे	others	apare
प्राण	of the air going outward	prāṇa
अपान	and the air going downward	apāna
गति	the movement	gati
रुद्ध्वा	checking	ruddhvā
प्राणायाम	trance induced by stopping all breathing	prāṇāyāma
परायणाः	so inclined	parāyaṇāḥ

Still others, who are inclined to the process of breath restraint to remain in trance, practice by offering the movement of the outgoing breath into the incoming, and the incoming breath into the outgoing, and thus at last remain in trance, stopping all breathing. Others, curtailing the eating process, offer the outgoing breath into itself as a sacrifice.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
अपरे	others	apare
नियत	having controlled	niyata
आहाराः	eating	āhārāḥ
प्राणान्	the outgoing air	prāṇān
प्राणेषु	in the outgoing air	prāṇeṣu
जुह्वति	sacrifice.	juhvati
सर्वे	all	sarve
अपि	although apparently different	api
एते	these	ete
यज्ञविदः	conversant with the purpose of performing sacrifices	yajñavidaḥ
यज्ञक्षपित	being cleansed as the result of such performances	yajñakṣapita
कल्मषाः	of sinful reactions	kalmaṣāḥ

All these performers who know the meaning of sacrifice become cleansed of sinful reactions, and, having tasted the nectar of the results of sacrifices, they advance toward the supreme eternal atmosphere

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
यज्ञशिष्ट	of the result of such performances of yajna	yajñaśiṣṭa
अमृतभुजः	those who have tasted such nectar	amṛtabhujaḥ
यान्ति	do approach	yānti
ब्रह्म	the supreme	brahma
सनातनं	eternal atmosphere.	sanātanaṃ
न	never	na
अयं	this	ayaṃ
लोकाः	planet	lokāḥ
अस्ति	there is	asti
अयज्ञस्य	for one who performs no sacrifice	ayajñasya
कुतः	where is	kutaḥ
अन्यः	the other	anyaḥ
कुरुसत्तम	O best amongst the Kurus.	kurusattama

O best of the Kuru dynasty, without sacrifice one can never live happily on this planet or in this life: what then of the next?

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
एवं	thus	evaṃ
बहुविधाः	various kinds of	bahuvidhāḥ
यज्ञाः	sacrifices	yajñāḥ
विततः	are spread	vitataḥ
ब्रह्मणः	of the Vedas	brahmaṇaḥ
मुखे	through the mouth	mukhe
कर्मजान्	born of work	karmajān
विद्धि	you should know	viddhi
तान्	them	tān
सर्वान्	all	sarvān
एवं	thus	evaṃ
ज्ञात्वा	knowing	jñātvā
विमोक्ष्यसे	you will be liberated.	vimokṣyase

All these different types of sacrifice are approved by the Vedas, and all of them are born of different types of work. Knowing them as such, you will become liberated.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
श्रेयान्	greater	śreyān
द्रव्यमयात्	of material possessions	dravyamayāt
यज्ञात्	than the sacrifice	yajñāt
ज्ञानयज्ञः	sacrifice in knowledge	jñānayajñaḥ
परन्तप	O chastiser of the enemy	parantapa
सर्वं	all	sarvaṃ
कर्म	activities	karma
अखिलं	in totality	akhilaṃ
पार्थ	O son of Pritha	pārtha
ज्ञाने	in knowledge	jñāne
परिसमप्यते	end.	parisamapyate

O chastiser of the enemy, the sacrifice performed in knowledge is better than the mere sacrifice of material possessions. After all, O son of Prtha, all sacrifices of work culminate in transcendental knowledge.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
तत्	that knowledge of different sacrifices	tat
विद्धि	try to understand	viddhi
प्रणिपातेन	by approaching a spiritual master	praṇipātena
परिप्रश्नेन	by submissive inquiries	paripraśnena
सेवया	by the rendering of service	sevayā
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति	they will initiate	upadekṣyanti
ते	you	te
ज्ञानं	into knowledge	jñānaṃ
ज्ञानिनः	the self-realized	jñāninaḥ
तत्त्व	of the truth	tattva
दर्शिनः	seers.	darśinaḥ

Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
यत्	which	yat
ज्ञात्वा	knowing	jñātvā
न	never	na
पुनः	again	punaḥ
मोहं	to illusion	mohaṃ
एवं	like this	evaṃ
यास्यसि	you shall go	yāsyasi
पाण्डव	O son of Pandu	pāṇḍava
येन	by which	yena
भूतानि	living entities	bhūtāni
अशेषाणि	all	aśeṣāṇi
द्रक्ष्यसि	you will see	drakṣyasi
आत्मनि	in the Supreme Soul	ātmani
अथौ	or in other words	athau
मयि	in Me.	mayi

Having obtained real knowledge from a self-realized soul, you will never fall again into such illusion, for by this knowledge you will see that all living beings are but part of the Supreme, or, in other words, that they are Mine.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
अपि	even	api
चेत्	if	cet
असि	you are	asi
पापेभ्यः	of sinners	pāpebhyaḥ
सर्वेभ्यः	of all	sarvebhyaḥ
पापकृत्तमः	the greatest sinner	pāpakṛttamaḥ
सर्वं	all such sinful reactions	sarvaṃ
ज्ञानप्लवेन	by the boat of transcendental knowledge	jñānaplavena
एव	certainly	eva
वृजनं	the ocean of miseries	vṛjanaṃ
सन्तरिष्यसि	you will cross completely.	santariṣyasi

Even if you are considered to be the most sinful of all sinners, when you are situated in the boat of transcendental knowledge you will be able to cross over the ocean of miseries.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
यथा	just as	yathā
एधांसि	firewood	edhāṃsi
समिद्धः	blazing	samiddhaḥ
अग्निः	fire	agniḥ
भस्मसात्	ashes	bhasmasāt
कुरुते	turns	kurute
अर्जुन	O Arjuna	arjuna
ज्ञानाग्निः	the fire of knowledge	jñānāgniḥ
सर्वकर्माणि	all reactions to material activities	sarvakarmāṇi
भस्मसात्	to ashes	bhasmasāt
कुरुते	it turns	kurute
तथा	similarly.	tathā

As a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
न	notHing	na
हि	certainly	hi
ज्ञानेन	with knowledge	jñānena
सदृशं	in comparison	sadṛśaṃ
पवित्रं	sanctified	pavitraṃ
इह	in this world	iha
विद्यते	exists	vidyate
तत्	that	tat
स्वयं	himself	svayaṃ
योग	in devotion	yoga
संसिद्धः	he who is mature	saṃsiddhaḥ
कालेन	in course of time	kālena
आत्मनि	in himself	ātmani
विन्दति	enjoys.	vindati

In this world, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And one who has become accomplished in the practice of devotional service enjoys this knowledge within himself in due course of time.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
श्रद्धावान्	a faithful man	śraddhāvān
लभते	achieves	labhate
ज्ञानं	knowledge	jñānaṃ
तत्परः	very much attached to it	tatparaḥ
संयत	controlled	saṃyata
इन्द्रियः	senses	indriyaḥ
ज्ञानं	knowledge	jñānaṃ
लब्ध्वा	having achieved	labdhvā
परां	transcendental	parāṃ
शान्तिं	peace	śāntiṃ
अचिरेण	very soon	acireṇa
अधिगच्छति	attains.	adhigacchati

A faithful man who is dedicated to transcendental knowledge and who subdues his senses is eligible to achieve such knowledge, and having achieved it he quickly attains the supreme spiritual peace

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
अज्ञः	a fool who has no knowledge in standard scriptures	ajñaḥ
च	and	ca
अश्रद्दधानः	without faith in revealed scriptures	aśraddadhānaḥ
च	also	ca
संशय	of doubts	saṃśaya
आत्मा	a person	ātmā
विनश्यति	falls back	vinaśyati
न	never	na
अयं	in this	ayaṃ
लोकः	world	lokaḥ
अस्ति	there is	asti
न	nor	na
परः	in the next life	paraḥ
न	not	na
सुखं	happiness	sukhaṃ
संशय	doubtful	saṃśaya
आत्मनः	of the person.	ātmanaḥ

But ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed scriptures do not attain God consciousness; they fall down. For the doubting soul there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
योग	by devotional service in karma-yoga	yoga
संन्यस्त	one who has renounced	saṃnyasta
कर्माणं	the fruits of actions	karmāṇaṃ
ज्ञान	by knowledge	jñāna
सञ्छिन्न	cut	sañchinna
संशयं	doubts	saṃśayaṃ
आत्मवन्तं	situated in the self	ātmavantaṃ
न	never	na
कर्माणि	works	karmāṇi
निबध्नन्ति	do bind	nibadhnanti
धनञ्जय	O conqueror of riches.	dhanañjaya

One who acts in devotional service, renouncing the fruits of his actions, and whose doubts have been destroyed by transcendental knowledge, is situated factually in the self. Thus he is not bound by the reactions of work, O conqueror of riches.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
योगं	in yoga	yogaṃ
तस्मात्	therefore	tasmāt
अज्ञानसम्भूतं	born of ignorance	ajñānasambhūtaṃ
हृत्स्थं	situated in the heart	hṛtsthaṃ
ज्ञान	of knowledge	jñāna
आसिन	by the weapon	āsina
आत्मनः	of the self	ātmanaḥ
छित्त्वा	cutting off	chittvā
एनं	this	enaṃ
संशयं	doubt	saṃśayaṃ
आतिष्ठ	be situated	ātiṣṭha
उत्तिष्ठ	stand up to fight	uttiṣṭha
भारत	O descendant of Bharata.	bhārata

Therefore the doubts which have arisen in your heart out of ignorance should be slashed by the weapon of knowledge. Armed with yoga, O Bharata, stand and fight.