Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
अर्जुन उवाच	Arjuna said	arjuna uvāca
संन्यासं	renunciation	saṃnyāsaṃ
कर्मणां	of all activities	karmaṇāṃ
कृष्ण	O KRiShNa	kṛṣṇa
पुनः	again	punaḥ
योगं	devotional service	yogaṃ
च	also	ca
शंससि	You are praising	śaṃsasi
यत्	which	yat
श्रेयः	is more beneficial	śreyaḥ
एतयोः	of these two	etayoḥ
एकं	one	ekaṃ
तत्	that	tat
मे	unto me	me
ब्रूहि	please tell	brūhi
सुनिश्चितं	definitely.	suniścitaṃ

Arjuna said: O Krsna, first of all You ask me to renounce work, and then again You recommend work with devotion. Now will You kindly tell me definitely which of the two is more beneficial?

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
श्रीभगवानुवाच	the Personality of Godhead said	śrībhagavānuvāca
संन्यासः	renunciation of work	saṃnyāsaḥ
कर्मयोगः	work in devotion	karmayogaḥ
च	also	ca
निःश्रेयसकरौ	leading to the path of liberation	niḥśreyasakarau
उभौ	both	ubhau
तयोः	of the two	tayoḥ
तु	but	tu
कर्मसंन्यासात्	in comparison to the renunciation of fruitive work	karmasaṃnyāsāt
कर्मयोगः	work in devotion	karmayogaḥ
विशिष्यते	is better.	viśiṣyate

The Personality of Godhead replied: The renunciation of work and work in devotion are both good for liberation. But, of the two, work in devotional service is better than renunciation of work.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
ज्ञेयः	should be known	jñeyaḥ
सः	he	saḥ
नित्य	always	nitya
संन्यासी	renouncer	saṃnyāsī
यः	who	yaḥ
न	never	na
द्वेष्टि	abhors	dveṣṭi
न	nor	na
काङ्क्षति	desires	kāṅkṣati
निर्द्वन्द्वः	free from all dualities	nirdvandvaḥ
हि	certainly	hi
महाबाहो	O mighty-armed one	mahābāho
सुखं	happily	sukhaṃ
बन्धात्	from bondage	bandhāt
प्रमुच्यते	is completely liberated.	pramucyate

One who neither hates nor desires the fruits of his activities is known to be always renounced. Such a person, free from all dualities, easily overcomes material bondage and is completely liberated, O mighty-armed Arjuna.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
साङ्ख्य	analytical study of the material world	sāṅkhya
योगौ	work in devotional service	yogau
पृथक्	different	pṛthak
बालाः	the less intelligent	bālāḥ
प्रवदन्ति	say	pravadanti
न	never	na
पण्डिताः	the learned	paṇḍitāḥ
एकं	in one	ekaṃ
अपि	even	api
आस्थितः	being situated	āsthitaḥ
सम्यक्	complete	samyak
उभयोः	of both	ubhayoḥ
विन्दते	enjoys	vindate
फलं	the result.	phalaṃ

Only the ignorant speak of devotional service [karma-yoga] as being different from the analytical study of the material world [Saṅkhya]. Those who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results of both.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
च	and	ca
यत्	what	yat
साङ्ख्यैः	by means of Sankhya philosophy	sāṅkhyaiḥ
प्राप्यते	is achieved	prāpyate
स्थानं	place	sthānaṃ
तत्	that	tat
योगैः	by devotional service	yogaiḥ
अपि	also	api
गम्यते	one can attain	gamyate
एकं	one	ekaṃ
साङ्ख्यं	analytical study	sāṅkhyaṃ
योगं	action in devotion	yogaṃ
च	and	ca
यः	one who	yaḥ
पश्यति	sees	paśyati
सः	he	saḥ
पश्यति	actually sees.	paśyati

One who knows that the position reached by means of analytical study can also be attained by devotional service, and who therefore sees analytical study and devotional service to be on the same level, sees things as they are.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
संन्यासः	the renounced order of life	saṃnyāsaḥ
तु	but	tu
महाबाहो	O mighty-armed one	mahābāho
दुःखं	distress	duḥkhaṃ
आप्तुं	afflicts one with	āptuṃ
अयोगतः	without devotional service	ayogataḥ
योगयुक्तः	one engaged in devotional service	yogayuktaḥ
मुनिः	a thinker	muniḥ
ब्रह्म	the Supreme	brahma
न चिरेण	without delay	na cireṇa
अधिगच्छति	attains.	adhigacchati

Merely renouncing all activities yet not engaging in the devotional service of the Lord cannot make one happy. But a thoughtful person engaged in devotional service can achieve the Supreme without delay.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
योगयुक्तः	engaged in devotional service	yogayuktaḥ
विशुद्धात्मा	a purified soul	viśuddhātmā
विजितात्मा	self-controlled	vijitātmā
जितेन्द्रियः	having conquered the senses	jitendriyaḥ
सर्वभूत	to all living entities	sarvabhūta
आत्मभूतात्मा	compassionate	ātmabhūtātmā
कुर्वन्नपि	although engaged in work	kurvannapi
न	never	na
लिप्यते	is entangled.	lipyate

One who works in devotion, who is a pure soul, and who controls his mind and senses is dear to everyone, and everyone is dear to him. Though always working, such a man is never entangled.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
न	never	na
एव	certainly	eva
किञ्चित्	anything	kiñcit
करोमि	I do	karomi
इति	thus	iti
युक्तः	engaged in the divine consciousness	yuktaḥ
मन्येत	thinks	manyeta
तत्त्ववित्	one who knows the truth	tattvavit
पश्यन्	seeing	paśyan
शृण्वन्	hearing	śṛṇvan
स्पृशन्	touching	spṛśan
जिघ्रन्	smelling	jighran
अश्नन्	eating	aśnan
गच्छन्	going	gacchan
स्वपन्	dreaming	svapan
श्वसन्	breathing	śvasan

A person in the divine consciousness, although engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping and breathing, always knows within himself that he actually does nothing at all.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
प्रलपन्	talking	pralapan
विसृजन्	giving up	visṛjan
गृह्णन्	accepting	gṛhṇan
उन्मिषन्	opening	unmiṣan
निमिषन्	closing	nimiṣan
अपि	in spite of	api
इन्द्रियाणि	the senses	indriyāṇi
इन्द्रियार्थेषु	in sense gratification	indriyārtheṣu
वर्तन्ते	let them be so engaged	vartante
इति	thus	iti
धारयन्	considering.	dhārayan

Because while speaking, evacuating, receiving, or opening or closing his eyes, he always knows that only the material senses are engaged with their objects and that he is aloof from them.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
ब्रह्मणि	unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead	brahmaṇi
आधाय	resigning	ādhāya
कर्माणि	all works	karmāṇi
सङ्गं	attachment	saṅgaṃ
त्यक्त्वा	giving up	tyaktvā
करोति	performs	karoti
यः	who	yaḥ
लिप्यते	is affected	lipyate
न	never	na
सः	he	saḥ
पापेन	by sin	pāpena
पद्मपत्रं	a lotus leaf	padmapatraṃ
इव	like	iva
अम्भसा	by the water.	ambhasā

One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
कायेन	with the body	kāyena
मनसा	with the mind	manasā
बुद्ध्या	with the intelligence	buddhyā
केवलैः	purified	kevalaiḥ
इन्द्रियैः	with the senses	indriyaiḥ
अपि	even	api
योगिनः	KRiShNa conscious persons	yoginaḥ
कर्म	actions	karma
कुर्वन्ति	they perform	kurvanti
सङ्गं	attachment	saṅgaṃ
त्यक्त्वा	giving up	tyaktvā
आत्म	of the self	ātma
शुद्धये	for the purpose of purification.	śuddhaye

The yogis, abandoning attachment, act with body, mind, intelligence and even with the senses, only for the purpose of purification.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
युक्तः	one who is engaged in devotional service	yuktaḥ
कर्मफलं	the results of all activities	karmaphalaṃ
त्यक्त्वा	giving up	tyaktvā
शन्तिं	perfect peace	śantiṃ
आप्नोति	achieves	āpnoti
नैष्ठिकीं	unflinching	naiṣṭhikīṃ
अयुक्तः	one who is not in KRiShNa consciousness	ayuktaḥ
कामकारेण	for enjoying the result of work	kāmakāreṇa
फले	in the result	phale
सक्ताः	attached	saktāḥ
निबध्यते	becomes entangled.	nibadhyate

The steadily devoted soul attains unadulterated peace because he offers the result of all activities to Me; whereas a person who is not in union with the Divine, who is greedy for the fruits of his labor, becomes entangled.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
सर्व	all	sarva
कर्माणि	activities	karmāṇi
मनसा	by the mind	manasā
संन्यस्य	giving up	saṃnyasya
आस्ते	remains	āste
सुखं	in happiness	sukhaṃ
वशी	one who is controlled	vaśī
नवद्वारे	in the place where there are nine gates	navadvāre
पुरे	in the city	pure
देही	the embodied soul	dehī
न	never	na
एव	certainly	eva
कुर्वन्	doing anything	kurvan
न	not	na
कारयन्	causing to be done.	kārayan

When the embodied living being controls his nature and mentally renounces all actions, he resides happily in the city of nine gates [the material body], neither working nor causing work to be done.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
न	never	na
कर्तृत्वं	proprietorship	kartṛtvaṃ
न	nor	na
कर्माणि	activities	karmāṇi
लोकस्य	of the people	lokasya
सृजति	creates	sṛjati
प्रभुः	the master of the city of the body	prabhuḥ
न	nor	na
कर्मफल	with the results of activities	karmaphala
संयोगं	connection	saṃyogaṃ
स्वभावः	the modes of material nature	svabhāvaḥ
तु	but	tu
प्रवर्तते	act.	pravartate

The embodied spirit, master of the city of his body, does not create activities, nor does he induce people to act, nor does he create the fruits of action. All this is enacted by the modes of material nature

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
न	never	na
आदत्ते	accepts	ādatte
कस्यचित्	anyone's	kasyacit
पापं	sin	pāpaṃ
न	nor	na
च	also	ca
एव	certainly	eva
सुकृतं	pious activities	sukṛtaṃ
विभुः	the Supreme Lord	vibhuḥ
अज्ञानेन	by ignorance	ajñānena
आवृतं	covered	āvṛtaṃ
ज्ञानं	knowledge	jñānaṃ
तेन	by that	tena
मुह्यन्ति	are bewildered	muhyanti
जन्तवः	the living entities.	jantavaḥ

Nor does the Supreme Lord assume anyone’s sinful or pious activities. Embodied beings, however, are bewildered because of the ignorance which covers their real knowledge.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
ज्ञानेन	by knowledge	jñānena
तु	but	tu
तत्	that	tat
अज्ञानं	nescience	ajñānaṃ
येषां	whose	yeṣāṃ
नाशितं	is destroyed	nāśitaṃ
आत्मनः	of the living entity	ātmanaḥ
तेषां	their	teṣāṃ
आदित्यवत्	like the rising sun	ādityavat
ज्ञानं	knowledge	jñānaṃ
प्रकाशयति	discloses	prakāśayati
तत्परं	KRiShNa consciousness.	tatparaṃ

When, however, one is enlightened with the knowledge by which nescience is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything in the daytime.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
तत्बुद्धयः	those whose intelligence is always in the Supreme	tatbuddhayaḥ
तदात्मानः	those whose minds are always in the Supreme	tadātmānaḥ
तन्निष्ठाः	those whose faith is only meant for the Supreme	tanniṣṭhāḥ
तत्परायणः	who have completely taken shelter of Him	tatparāyaṇaḥ
गच्छन्ति	go	gacchanti
अपुनरावृत्तिं	to liberation	apunarāvṛttiṃ
ज्ञान	by knowledge	jñāna
निर्धूत	cleansed	nirdhūta
कल्मषाः	misgivings.	kalmaṣāḥ

When one’s intelligence, mind, faith and refuge are all fixed in the Supreme, then one becomes fully cleansed of misgivings through complete knowledge and thus proceeds straight on the path of liberation.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
विद्या	with education	vidyā
विनय	and gentleness	vinaya
सम्पन्ने	fully equipped	sampanne
ब्राह्मणे	in the brahmana	brāhmaṇe
गवि	in the cow	gavi
हस्तिनि	in the elephant	hastini
शुनि	in the dog	śuni
च	and	ca
एव	certainly	eva
श्वपाके	in the dog-eater (the outcaste)	śvapāke
च	respectively	ca
पण्डिताः	those who are wise	paṇḍitāḥ
समदर्शिनः	who see with equal vision.	samadarśinaḥ

The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste].

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
इह	in this life	iha
एव	certainly	eva
तैः	by them	taiḥ
जितः	conquered	jitaḥ
सर्गः	birth and death	sargaḥ
येषां	whose	yeṣāṃ
साम्ये	in equanimity	sāmye
स्थितं	situated	sthitaṃ
मनः	mind	manaḥ
निर्दोषं	flawless	nirdoṣaṃ
हि	certainly	hi
समं	in equanimity	samaṃ
ब्रह्म	like the Supreme	brahma
तस्मात्	therefore	tasmāt
ब्रह्मणि	in the Supreme	brahmaṇi
ते	they	te
स्थिताः	are situated.	sthitāḥ

Those whose minds are established in sameness and equanimity have already conquered the conditions of birth and death. They are flawless like Brahman, and thus they are already situated in Brahman.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
न	never	na
प्रहृष्येत्	rejoices	prahṛṣyet
प्रियं	the pleasant	priyaṃ
प्राप्य	achieving	prāpya
न	does not	na
उद्विजेत्	become agitated	udvijet
प्राप्य	obtaining	prāpya
च	also	ca
अप्रियं	the unpleasant	apriyaṃ
स्थिरबुद्धिः	self-intelligent	sthirabuddhiḥ
असम्मूढाः	unbewildered	asammūḍhāḥ
ब्रह्मवित्	one who knows the Supreme perfectly	brahmavit
ब्रह्मणि	in the transcendence	brahmaṇi
स्थितः	situated.	sthitaḥ

A person who neither rejoices upon achieving something pleasant nor laments upon obtaining something unpleasant, who is self-intelligent, who is unbewildered, and who knows the science of God is already situated in transcendence.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
बाह्यस्पर्शेषु	in external sense pleasure	bāhyasparśeṣu
असक्तात्मा	one who is not attached	asaktātmā
विन्दति	enjoys	vindati
आत्मनि	in the self	ātmani
यत्	that which	yat
सुखं	happiness	sukhaṃ
सः	he	saḥ
ब्रह्मयोग	by concentration in Brahman	brahmayoga
युक्तात्मा	self-connected	yuktātmā
सुखं	happiness	sukhaṃ
अक्षयं	unlimited	akṣayaṃ
अश्नुते	enjoys.	aśnute

Such a liberated person is not attracted to material sense pleasure but is always in trance, enjoying the pleasure within. In this way the self-realized person enjoys unlimited happiness, for he concentrates on the Supreme.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
ये	those	ye
हि	certainly	hi
संस्पर्शजाः	by contact with the material senses	saṃsparśajāḥ
भोगाः	enjoyments	bhogāḥ
दुःख	distress	duḥkha
योनयः	sources of	yonayaḥ
एव	certainly	eva
ते	they are	te
आदि	beginning	ādi
अन्त	end	anta
वन्तः	subject to	vantaḥ
कौन्तेय	O son of Kunti	kaunteya
न	never	na
तेषु	in those	teṣu
रमते	takes delight	ramate
बुधः	the intelligent person.	budhaḥ

An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery, which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kunti, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
शक्नोति	is able	śaknoti
इहैव	in the present body	ihaiva
यः	one who	yaḥ
सोढुं	to tolerate	soḍhuṃ
प्राक्	before	prāk
शरीर	the body	śarīra
विमोक्षणात्	giving up	vimokṣaṇāt
काम	desire	kāma
क्रोध	and anger	krodha
उद्भवं	generated from	udbhavaṃ
वेगं	urges	vegaṃ
सः	he	saḥ
युक्तः	in trance	yuktaḥ
सः	he	saḥ
सुखी	happy	sukhī
नरः	human being.	naraḥ

Before giving up this present body, if one is able to tolerate the urges of the material senses and check the force of desire and anger, he is well situated and is happy in this world.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
यः	one who	yaḥ
अन्तर्सुखः	happy from within	antarsukhaḥ
अन्तरारामः	actively enjoying within	antarārāmaḥ
तथा	as well as	tathā
अन्तर्ज्योतिः	aiming within	antarjyotiḥ
एव	certainly	eva
यः	anyone	yaḥ
सः	he	saḥ
योगी	a mystic	yogī
ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं	liberation in the Supreme	brahmanirvāṇaṃ
ब्रह्मभूतः	being self-realized	brahmabhūtaḥ
अधिगच्छति	attains.	adhigacchati

One whose happiness is within, who is active and rejoices within, and whose aim is inward is actually the perfect mystic. He is liberated in the Supreme, and ultimately he attains the Supreme.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
लभन्ते	achieve	labhante
ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं	liberation in the Supreme	brahmanirvāṇaṃ
ऋषयः	those who are active within	ṛṣayaḥ
क्षीणकल्मषाः	who are devoid of all sins	kṣīṇakalmaṣāḥ
छिन्न	having torn off	chinna
द्वैधाः	duality	dvaidhāḥ
यतात्मनाः	engaged in self-realization	yatātmanāḥ
सर्वभूत	for all living entities	sarvabhūta
हिते	in welfare work	hite
रताः	engaged.	ratāḥ

Those who are beyond the dualities that arise from doubts, whose minds are engaged within, who are always busy working for the welfare of all living beings and who are free from all sins achieve liberation in the Supreme

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
काम	from desires	kāma
क्रोध	and anger	krodha
विमुक्तानां	of those who are liberated	vimuktānāṃ
यतीनां	of the saintly persons	yatīnāṃ
यतचेतसां	who have full control over the mind	yatacetasāṃ
अभितः	assured in the near future	abhitaḥ
ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं	liberation in the Supreme	brahmanirvāṇaṃ
वर्तते	is there	vartate
विदितात्मनां	of those who are self-realized.	viditātmanāṃ

Those who are free from anger and all material desires, who are self-realized, self-disciplined and constantly endeavoring for perfection, are assured of liberation in the Supreme in the very near future.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
स्पर्शान्	sense objects, such as sound	sparśān
कृत्वा	keeping	kṛtvā
बहिः	external	bahiḥ
बाह्यान्	unnecessary	bāhyān
चक्षुः	eyes	cakṣuḥ
च	also	ca
एव	certainly	eva
अन्तरे	between	antare
भ्रुवोः	the eyebrows	bhruvoḥ
प्राणापानौ	up-and down-moving air	prāṇāpānau
समौ	in suspension	samau
कृत्वा	keeping	kṛtvā
नासाभ्यन्तर	within the nostrils	nāsābhyantara
चारिणौ	blowing	cāriṇau

Shutting out all external sense objects, keeping the eyes and vision concentrated between the two eyebrows, suspending the inward and outward breaths within the nostrils,

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
यत	controlled	yata
इन्द्रिय	senses	indriya
मनः	mind	manaḥ
बुद्धिः	intelligence	buddhiḥ
मुनिः	the transcendentalist	muniḥ
मोक्ष	for liberation	mokṣa
परायणः	being so destined	parāyaṇaḥ
विगत	having discarded	vigata
इच्छा	wishes	icchā
भय	fear	bhaya
क्रोधः	anger	krodhaḥ
यः	one who	yaḥ
सदा	always	sadā
मुक्तः	liberated	muktaḥ
एव	certainly	eva
सः	he is.	saḥ

and thus controlling the mind, senses and intelligence, the transcendentalist aiming at liberation becomes free from desire, fear and anger. One who is always in this state is certainly liberated.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
भोक्तारं	the beneficiary	bhoktāraṃ
यज्ञ	of sacrifices	yajña
तपसां	and penances and austerities	tapasāṃ
सर्वलोक	of all planets and the demigods thereof	sarvaloka
महेश्वरं	the Supreme Lord	maheśvaraṃ
सुहृदं	the benefactor	suhṛdaṃ
सर्व	of all	sarva
भूतानां	the living entities	bhūtānāṃ
ज्ञात्वा	thus knowing	jñātvā
मां	Me (Lord KRiShNa)	māṃ
शान्तिं	relief from material pangs	śāntiṃ
ऋच्छति	one achieves.	ṛcchati

A person in full consciousness of Me, knowing Me to be the ultimate beneficiary of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods, and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attains peace from the pangs of material miseries.