Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
अर्जुन उवाच	Arjuna said	arjuna uvāca
ज्यायसि	better	jyāyasi
चेत्	if	cet
कर्मणः	than fruitive action	karmaṇaḥ
ते	by You	te
मता	is considered	matā
बुद्धिः	intelligence	buddhiḥ
जनार्दन	O KRiShNa	janārdana
तत्	therefore	tat
किं	why	kiṃ
कर्मणि	in action	karmaṇi
घोरे	ghastly	ghore
मां	me	māṃ
नियोजयसि	You are engaging	niyojayasi
केशव	O KRiShNa.	keśava

Arjuna said: O Janardana, O Kesava, why do You want to engage me in this ghastly warfare, if You think that intelligence is better than fruitive work?

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
व्यामिश्रेण	by equivocal	vyāmiśreṇa
इव	certainly	iva
वाक्येन	words	vākyena
बुद्धिं	intelligence	buddhiṃ
मोहयसि	You are bewildering	mohayasi
इव	certainly	iva
मे	my	me
तत्	therefore	tat
एकं	only one	ekaṃ
वद	please tell	vada
निश्चित्य	ascertaining	niścitya
येन	by which	yena
श्रेयः	real benefit	śreyaḥ
अहं	I	ahaṃ
आप्नुयां	may have.	āpnuyāṃ

My intelligence is bewildered by Your equivocal instructions. Therefore, please tell me decisively which will be most beneficial for me.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
श्रीभगवानुवाच	the Supreme Personality of Godhead said	śrībhagavānuvāca
लोके	in the world	loke
अस्मिन्	this	asmin
द्विविधा	two kinds of	dvividhā
निष्ठा	faith	niṣṭhā
पुरा	formerly	purā
प्रोक्ता	were said	proktā
मया	by Me	mayā
अनघ	O sinless one	anagha
ज्ञानयोगेन	by the linking process of knowledge	jñānayogena
साङ्ख्यानां	of the empiric philosophers	sāṅkhyānāṃ
कर्मयोगेण	by the linking process of devotion	karmayogeṇa
योगिनां	of the devotees.	yogināṃ

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O sinless Arjuna, I have already explained that there are two classes of men who try to realize the self. Some are inclined to understand it by empirical, philosophical speculation, and others by devotional service.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
न	not	na
कर्मणां	of prescribed duties	karmaṇāṃ
अनारम्भात्	by nonperformance	anārambhāt
नैष्कर्म्यं	freedom from reaction	naiṣkarmyaṃ
पुरुषः	a man	puruṣaḥ
अश्नुते	achieves	aśnute
न	nor	na
च	also	ca
संन्यासनात्	by renunciation	saṃnyāsanāt
एव	simply	eva
सिद्धिं	success	siddhiṃ
समधिगच्छति	attains.	samadhigacchati

Not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from reaction, nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
न	nor	na
हि	certainly	hi
कश्चित्	anyone	kaścit
क्षणं	a moment	kṣaṇaṃ
अपि	also	api
जातु	at any time	jātu
तिष्ठति	remains	tiṣṭhati
अकर्मकृत्	without doing something	akarmakṛt
कार्यते	is forced to do	kāryate
हि	certainly	hi
अवशः	helplessly	avaśaḥ
कर्म	work	karma
सर्वः	all	sarvaḥ
प्रकृतिजैः	born of the modes of material nature	prakṛtijaiḥ
गुणैः	by the qualities.	guṇaiḥ

Everyone is forced to act helplessly according to the qualities he has acquired from the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain from doing something, not even for a moment.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
कर्मेन्द्रियाणि	the five working sense organs	karmendriyāṇi
संयम्य	controlling	saṃyamya
यः	anyone who	yaḥ
आस्ते	remains	āste
मनसा	by the mind	manasā
स्मरन्	thinking of	smaran
इन्द्रियार्थान्	sense objects	indriyārthān
विमूढ	foolish	vimūḍha
आत्मा	soul	ātmā
मिथ्याचारः	pretender	mithyācāraḥ
सः	he	saḥ
उच्यते	is called.	ucyate

One who restrains the senses of action but whose mind dwells on sense objects certainly deludes himself and is called a pretender.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
यः	one who	yaḥ
तु	but	tu
इन्द्रियाणि	the senses	indriyāṇi
मनसा	by the mind	manasā
नियम्य	regulating	niyamya
आरभते	begins	ārabhate
अर्जुन	O Arjuna	arjuna
कर्मेन्द्रियैः	by the active sense organs	karmendriyaiḥ
कर्मयोगं	devotion	karmayogaṃ
असक्तः	without attachment	asaktaḥ
सः	he	saḥ
विशिष्यते	is by far the better.	viśiṣyate

On the other hand, if a sincere person tries to control the active senses by the mind and begins karma-yoga [in Krsna consciousness] without attachment, he is by far superior.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
नियतं	prescribed	niyataṃ
कुरु	do	kuru
कर्म	duties	karma
त्वं	you	tvaṃ
कर्म	work	karma
ज्यायाः	better	jyāyāḥ
हि	certainly	hi
अकर्मणः	than no work	akarmaṇaḥ
शरीर	bodily	śarīra
यात्रा	maintenance	yātrā
अपि	even	api
च	also	ca
ते	your	te
न	never	na
प्रसिद्ध्येत्	is effected	prasiddhyet
अकर्मणः	without work.	akarmaṇaḥ

Perform your prescribed duty, for doing so is better than not working. One cannot even maintain one’s physical body without work.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
यज्ञार्थात्	done only for the sake of Yajna, or Visnu	yajñārthāt
कर्मणः	than work	karmaṇaḥ
अन्यत्र	otherwise	anyatra
लोकः	world	lokaḥ
अयं	this	ayaṃ
कर्मबन्धनः	bondage by work	karmabandhanaḥ
तत्	of Him	tat
अर्थं	for the sake	arthaṃ
कर्म	work	karma
कौन्तेय	O son of Kunti	kaunteya
मुक्तसङ्गः	liberated from association	muktasaṅgaḥ
समाचर	do perfectly.	samācara

Work done as a sacrifice for Visnu has to be performed; otherwise work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from bondage.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
सह	along with	saha
यज्ञाः	sacrifices	yajñāḥ
प्रजाः	generations	prajāḥ
सृष्ट्वा	creating	sṛṣṭvā
पुरा	anciently	purā
उवाच	said	uvāca
प्रजापतिः	the Lord of creatures	prajāpatiḥ
अनेन	by this	anena
प्रसविष्यध्वं	be more and more prosperous	prasaviṣyadhvaṃ
एषः	this	eṣaḥ
वः	your	vaḥ
अस्तु	let it be	astu
इष्ट	of all desirable things	iṣṭa
कामधुक्	bestower.	kāmadhuk

In the beginning of creation, the Lord of all creatures sent forth generations of men and demigods, along with sacrifices for Visnu, and blessed them by saying, “Be thou happy by this yajña [sacrifice] because its performance will bestow upon you everything desirable for living happily and achieving liberation.”

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
देवान्	demigods	devān
भावयता	having pleased	bhāvayatā
अनेन	by this sacrifice	anena
ते	those	te
देवाः	demigods	devāḥ
भावयन्तु	will please	bhāvayantu
वः	you	vaḥ
परस्परं	mutually	parasparaṃ
भावयन्तः	pleasing one another	bhāvayantaḥ
श्रेयः	benediction	śreyaḥ
परं	the supreme	paraṃ
अवाप्स्यथ	you will achieve.	avāpsyatha

The demigods, being pleased by sacrifices, will also please you, and thus, by cooperation between men and demigods, prosperity will reign for all.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
इष्टान्	desired	iṣṭān
भोगान्	necessities of life	bhogān
हि	certainly	hi
वः	unto you	vaḥ
देवाः	the demigods	devāḥ
दास्यन्ते	will award	dāsyante
यज्ञभाविताः	being satisfied by the performance of sacrifices	yajñabhāvitāḥ
तैः	by them	taiḥ
दत्तान्	things given	dattān
अप्रदाय	without offering	apradāya
एभ्यः	to these demigods	ebhyaḥ
यः	he who	yaḥ
भुङ्क्ते	enjoys	bhuṅkte
स्तेनः	thief	stenaḥ
एव	certainly	eva
सः	he.	saḥ

In charge of the various necessities of life, the demigods, being satisfied by the performance of yajña [sacrifice], will supply all necessities to you. But he who enjoys such gifts without offering them to the demigods in return is certainly a thief.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
यज्ञशिष्टा	of food taken after performance of yajna	yajñaśiṣṭā
आसिनः	eaters	āsinaḥ
सन्तः	the devotees	santaḥ
मुच्यन्ते	get relief	mucyante
सर्व	all kinds of	sarva
किल्बिषैः	from sins	kilbiṣaiḥ
भुञ्जते	enjoy	bhuñjate
ते	they	te
तु	but	tu
अघं	grievous sins	aghaṃ
पापाः	sinners	pāpāḥ
ये	who	ye
पचन्ति	prepare food	pacanti
आत्मकारणात्	for sense enjoyment.	ātmakāraṇāt

The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
अन्नात्	from grains	annāt
भवन्ति	grow	bhavanti
भूतानि	the material bodies	bhūtāni
पर्जन्यात्	from rains	parjanyāt
अन्न	of food grains	anna
सम्भवः	production	sambhavaḥ
यज्ञात्	from the performance of sacrifice	yajñāt
भवति	becomes possible	bhavati
पर्जन्यः	rain	parjanyaḥ
यज्ञः	performance of yajna	yajñaḥ
कर्म	prescribed duties	karma
समुद्भवः	born of.	samudbhavaḥ

All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajña [sacrifice], and yajña is born of prescribed duties.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
कर्म	work	karma
ब्रह्म	from the Vedas	brahma
उद्भवं	produced	udbhavaṃ
विद्धि	you should know	viddhi
ब्रह्म	the Vedas	brahma
अक्षर	from the Supreme Brahman (Personality of Godhead)	akṣara
समुद्भवं	directly manifested	samudbhavaṃ
तस्मात्	therefore	tasmāt
सर्वगतं	all-pervading	sarvagataṃ
ब्रह्म	transcendence	brahma
नित्यं	eternally	nityaṃ
यज्ञे	in sacrifice	yajñe
प्रतिष्ठितं	situated.	pratiṣṭhitaṃ

Regulated activities are prescribed in the Vedas, and the Vedas are directly manifested from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Consequently the all-pervading Transcendence is eternally situated in acts of sacrifice

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
एवं	thus	evaṃ
प्रवर्तितं	established by the Vedas	pravartitaṃ
चक्रं	cycle	cakraṃ
न	does not	na
अनुवर्तयति	adopt	anuvartayati
इह	in this life	iha
यः	one who	yaḥ
अघायुः	whose life is full of sins	aghāyuḥ
इन्द्रियारामः	satisfied in sense gratification	indriyārāmaḥ
मोघं	uselessly	moghaṃ
पार्थ	O son of Pritha (Arjuna)	pārtha
सः	he	saḥ
जीवति	lives.	jīvati

My dear Arjuna, one who does not follow in human life the cycle of sacrifice thus established by the Vedas certainly leads a life full of sin. Living only for the satisfaction of the senses, such a person lives in vain.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
यः	one who	yaḥ
तु	but	tu
आत्मरतिः	taking pleasure in the self	ātmaratiḥ
एव	certainly	eva
स्यात्	remains	syāt
आत्मतृप्तः	self-illuminated	ātmatṛptaḥ
च	and	ca
मानवः	a man	mānavaḥ
आत्मनि	in himself	ātmani
एव	only	eva
च	and	ca
सन्तुष्टः	perfectly satiated	santuṣṭaḥ
तस्य	his	tasya
कार्यं	duty	kāryaṃ
न	does not	na
विद्यते	exist.	vidyate

But for one who takes pleasure in the Self, whose human life is one of self-realization, and who is satisfied in the Self only, fully satiated – for him there is no duty.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
तस्य	his	tasya
न	never	na
एव	certainly	eva
कृतेन	by discharge of duty	kṛtena
अर्थः	purpose	arthaḥ
न	nor	na
अकृतेन	without discharge of duty	akṛtena
इह	in this world	iha
कश्चन	whatever	kaścana
न	never	na
च	and	ca
अस्य	of him	asya
सर्वभूतेषु	among all living beings	sarvabhūteṣu
कश्चित्	any	kaścit
अर्थ	purpose	artha
व्यपाश्रयः	taking shelter of.	vyapāśrayaḥ

A self-realized man has no purpose to fulfill in the discharge of his prescribed duties, nor has he any reason not to perform such work. Nor has he any need to depend on any other living being.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
तस्मात्	therefore	tasmāt
असक्तः	without attachment	asaktaḥ
सततं	constantly	satataṃ
कार्यं	as duty	kāryaṃ
कर्म	work	karma
समाचर	perform	samācara
असक्तः	unattached	asaktaḥ
हि	certainly	hi
आचरान्	performing	ācarān
कर्म	work	karma
परं	the Supreme	paraṃ
आप्नोति	achieves	āpnoti
पूरुषः	a man.	pūruṣaḥ

Therefore, without being attached to the fruits of activities, one should act as a matter of duty, for by working without attachment one attains the Supreme.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
कर्मणा	by work	karmaṇā
एव	even	eva
हि	certainly	hi
संसिद्धिं	in perfection	saṃsiddhiṃ
आस्थिताः	situated	āsthitāḥ
जनकादयाः	Janaka and other kings	janakādayāḥ
लोकसंग्रहं	the people in general	lokasaṃgrahaṃ
एवापि	also	evāpi
सम्पश्यन्	considering	sampaśyan
कर्तुं	to act	kartuṃ
अर्हसि	you deserve.	arhasi

Kings such as Janaka attained perfection solely by performance of prescribed duties. Therefore, just for the sake of educating the people in general, you should perform your work.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
यद्यत्	whatever	yadyat
आचरति	he does	ācarati
श्रेष्ठः	a respectable leader	śreṣṭhaḥ
तत्	that	tat
तत्	and that alone	tat
एव	certainly	eva
इतरः	common	itaraḥ
जनः	person	janaḥ
सः	he	saḥ
यत्	whichever	yat
प्रमाणं	example	pramāṇaṃ
कुरुते	does perform	kurute
लोकाः	all the world	lokāḥ
तत्	that	tat
अनुवर्तते	follows in the footsteps.	anuvartate

Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
न	not	na
मे	Mine	me
पार्थ	O son of Pritha	pārtha
अस्ति	there is	asti
कर्तव्यं	prescribed duty	kartavyaṃ
त्रिषु	in the three	triṣu
लोकेषु	planetary systems	lokeṣu
किञ्चन	any	kiñcana
न	nothing	na
अनवाप्तं	wanted	anavāptaṃ
अवाप्तव्यं	to be gained	avāptavyaṃ
वर्ते	I am engaged	varte
एव	certainly	eva
च	also	ca
कर्मणि	in prescribed duty.	karmaṇi

O son of Prtha, there is no work prescribed for Me within all the three planetary systems. Nor am I in want of anything, nor have I a need to obtain anything – and yet I am engaged in prescribed duties.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
यदि	if	yadi
हि	certainly	hi
अहं	I	ahaṃ
न	do not	na
वर्तेयं	thus engage	varteyaṃ
जातु	ever	jātu
कर्मणि	in the performance of prescribed duties	karmaṇi
अतन्द्रितः	with great care	atandritaḥ
मम	My	mama
वर्त्म	path	vartma
अनुवर्तन्ते	would follow	anuvartante
मनुष्याः	all men	manuṣyāḥ
पार्थ	O son of Pritha	pārtha
सर्वशः	in all respects.	sarvaśaḥ

For if I ever failed to engage in carefully performing prescribed duties, O Partha, certainly all men would follow My path.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
उत्सीदेयुः	would be put into ruin	utsīdeyuḥ
इमे	all these	ime
लोकाः	worlds	lokāḥ
न	not	na
कुर्यां	I perform	kuryāṃ
कर्म	prescribed duties	karma
चेत्	if	cet
अहं	I	ahaṃ
सङ्करस्य	of unwanted population	saṅkarasya
च	and	ca
कर्ता	creator	kartā
स्यां	would be	syāṃ
उपहन्यां	would destroy	upahanyāṃ
इमाः	all these	imāḥ
प्रजाः	living entities.	prajāḥ

If I did not perform prescribed duties, all these worlds would be put to ruination. I would be the cause of creating unwanted population, and I would thereby destroy the peace of all living beings.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
सक्ताः	being attached	saktāḥ
कर्मणि	in prescribed duties	karmaṇi
अविद्वांसः	the ignorant	avidvāṃsaḥ
यथा	as much as	yathā
कुर्वन्ति	they do	kurvanti
भारत	O descendant of Bharata	bhārata
कुर्यात्	must do	kuryāt
विद्वान्	the learned	vidvān
तथा	thus	tathā
असक्तः	without attachment	asaktaḥ
चिकीर्षुः	desiring to lead	cikīrṣuḥ
लोकसंग्रहं	the people in general.	lokasaṃgrahaṃ

As the ignorant perform their duties with attachment to results, the learned may similarly act, but without attachment, for the sake of leading people on the right path.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
न	not	na
बुद्धिभेदं	disruption of intelligence	buddhibhedaṃ
जनयेत्	he should cause	janayet
अज्ञानां	of the foolish	ajñānāṃ
कर्मसङ्गिनां	who are attached to fruitive work	karmasaṅgināṃ
जोषयेत्	he should dovetail	joṣayet
सर्व	all	sarva
कर्माणि	work	karmāṇi
विद्वान्	a learned person	vidvān
युक्तः	engaged	yuktaḥ
समाचरन्	practicing.	samācaran

So as not to disrupt the minds of ignorant men attached to the fruitive results of prescribed duties, a learned person should not induce them to stop work. Rather, by working in the spirit of devotion, he should engage them in all sorts of activities [for the gradual development of Krsna consciousness].

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
प्रकृतेः	of material nature	prakṛteḥ
क्रियमाणानि	being done	kriyamāṇāni
गुणैः	by the modes	guṇaiḥ
कर्माणि	activities	karmāṇi
सर्वशः	all kinds of	sarvaśaḥ
अहङ्कारविमूढ	bewildered by false ego	ahaṅkāravimūḍha
आत्मा	the spirit soul	ātmā
कर्ता	doer	kartā
अहं	I	ahaṃ
इति	thus	iti
मन्यते	he thinks.	manyate

The spirit soul bewildered by the influence of false ego thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality carried out by the three modes of material nature.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
मत्वा	thinking	matvā
तत्त्ववित्	the knower of the Absolute Truth	tattvavit
तु	but	tu
महाबाहो	O mighty-armed one	mahābāho
गुणकर्म	of works under material influence	guṇakarma
विभागयोः	differences	vibhāgayoḥ
गुणाः	senses	guṇāḥ
गुणेषु	in sense gratification	guṇeṣu
वर्तन्ते	are being engaged	vartante
इति	thus	iti
न	never	na
सज्जते	becomes attached.	sajjate

One who is in knowledge of the Absolute Truth, O mighty-armed, does not engage himself in the senses and sense gratification, knowing well the differences between work in devotion and work for fruitive results.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
प्रकृतेः	of material nature	prakṛteḥ
गुण	by the modes	guṇa
सम्मूढाः	befooled by material identification	sammūḍhāḥ
सज्जन्ते	they become engaged	sajjante
गुणकर्मसु	in material activities	guṇakarmasu
तान्	those	tān
अकृत्स्नविदाः	persons with a poor fund of knowledge	akṛtsnavidāḥ
मन्दान्	lazy to understand self-realization	mandān
कृत्स्नवित्	one who is in factual knowledge	kṛtsnavit
न	not	na
विचालयेत्	should try to agitate.	vicālayet

Bewildered by the modes of material nature, the ignorant fully engage themselves in material activities and become attached. But the wise should not unsettle them, although these duties are inferior due to the performers’ lack of knowledge.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
मयि	unto Me	mayi
सर्वाणि	all sorts of	sarvāṇi
कर्माणि	activities	karmāṇi
संन्यस्य	giving up completely	saṃnyasya
अध्यात्म	with full knowledge of the self	adhyātma
चेतसा	by consciousness	cetasā
निराशीः	without desire for profit	nirāśīḥ
निर्ममः	without ownership	nirmamaḥ
भूत्वा	so being	bhūtvā
युध्यस्व	fight	yudhyasva
विगतज्वरः	without being lethargic.	vigatajvaraḥ

Therefore, O Arjuna, surrendering all your works unto Me, with full knowledge of Me, without desires for profit, with no claims to proprietorship, and free from lethargy, fight.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
ये	those who	ye
मे	My	me
मतं	injunctions	mataṃ
इदं	these	idaṃ
नित्यं	as an eternal function	nityaṃ
अनुतिष्ठन्ति	execute regularly	anutiṣṭhanti
मानवाः	human beings	mānavāḥ
श्रद्धावन्तः	with faith and devotion	śraddhāvantaḥ
अनसूयन्तः	without envy	anasūyantaḥ
मुच्यन्ते	become free	mucyante
ते	all of them	te
अपि	even	api
कर्मभिः	from the bondage of the law of fruitive actions.	karmabhiḥ

Those persons who execute their duties according to My injunctions and who follow this teaching faithfully, without envy, become free from the bondage of fruitive actions.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
ये	those	ye
तु	however	tu
एतत्	this	etat
अभ्यसूयन्तः	out of envy	abhyasūyantaḥ
न	do not	na
अनुतिष्ठन्ति	regularly perform	anutiṣṭhanti
मे	My	me
मतं	injunction	mataṃ
सर्वज्ञान	in all sorts of knowledge	sarvajñāna
विमूढान्	perfectly befooled	vimūḍhān
तान्	they are	tān
विद्धि	know it well	viddhi
नष्टान्	all ruined	naṣṭān
अचेतसः	without KRiShNa consciousness.	acetasaḥ

But those who, out of envy, disregard these teachings and do not follow them regularly are to be considered bereft of all knowledge, befooled, and ruined in their endeavors for perfection.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
सदृशं	accordingly	sadṛśaṃ
चेष्टते	tries	ceṣṭate
स्वस्यः	by his own	svasyaḥ
प्रकृतेः	modes of nature	prakṛteḥ
ज्ञानवान्	learned	jñānavān
अपि	although	api
प्रकृतिं	nature	prakṛtiṃ
यान्ति	undergo	yānti
भूतानी	all living entities	bhūtānī
निग्रहः	repression	nigrahaḥ
किं	what	kiṃ
करिष्यति	can do.	kariṣyati

Even a man of knowledge acts according to his own nature, for everyone follows the nature he has acquired from the three modes. What can repression accomplish?

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
इन्द्रियस्य	of the senses	indriyasya
इन्द्रियस्यार्थे	in the sense objects	indriyasyārthe
राग	attachment	rāga
द्वेषौ	also detachment	dveṣau
व्यवस्थितौ	put under regulations	vyavasthitau
तयोः	of them	tayoḥ
न	never	na
वशं	control	vaśaṃ
आगच्छेत्	one should come	āgacchet
तौ	those	tau
हि	certainly	hi
अस्य	his	asya
परिपन्थिनौ	stumbling blocks.	paripanthinau

There are principles to regulate attachment and aversion pertaining to the senses and their objects. One should not come under the control of such attachment and aversion, because they are stumbling blocks on the path of self-realization.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
श्रेयान्	far better	śreyān
स्वधर्मः	one's prescribed duties	svadharmaḥ
विगुणः	even faulty	viguṇaḥ
परधर्मात्	than duties mentioned for others	paradharmāt
स्वनुष्ठितात्	perfectly done	svanuṣṭhitāt
स्वधर्मे	in one's prescribed duties	svadharme
निधनं	destruction	nidhanaṃ
श्रेयः	better	śreyaḥ
परधर्मः	duties prescribed for others	paradharmaḥ
भयावहः	dangerous.	bhayāvahaḥ

It is far better to discharge one’s prescribed duties, even though faultily, than another’s duties perfectly. Destruction in the course of performing one’s own duty is better than engaging in another’s duties, for to follow another’s path is dangerous.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
अर्जुन उवाच	Arjuna said	arjuna uvāca
अथ	then	atha
केन	by what	kena
प्रयुक्तः	impelled	prayuktaḥ
अयं	one	ayaṃ
पापं	sins	pāpaṃ
चरति	does	carati
पूरुषः	a man	pūruṣaḥ
अनिच्छन्	without desiring	anicchan
अपि	although	api
वार्ष्णेय	O descendant of VRiShNi	vārṣṇeya
बलात्	by force	balāt
इव	as if	iva
नियोजितः	engaged.	niyojitaḥ

Arjuna said: O descendant of Vrsni, by what is one impelled to sinful acts, even unwillingly, as if engaged by force?

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
श्रीभगवानुवाच	the Personality of Godhead said	śrībhagavānuvāca
कामः	lust	kāmaḥ
एषः	this	eṣaḥ
क्रोधः	wrath	krodhaḥ
एषः	this	eṣaḥ
रजोगुण	the mode of passion	rajoguṇa
समुद्भवः	born of	samudbhavaḥ
महाशनः	all-devouring	mahāśanaḥ
महापाप्मा	greatly sinful	mahāpāpmā
विद्धि	know	viddhi
एनं	this	enaṃ
इह	in the material world	iha
वैरिणं	greatest enemy.	vairiṇaṃ

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy of this world.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
धूमेन	by smoke	dhūmena
आव्रियते	is covered	āvriyate
वह्निः	fire	vahniḥ
यथा	just as	yathā
अदर्शः	mirror	adarśaḥ
मलेन	by dust	malena
च	also	ca
यथा	just as	yathā
उल्बेन	by the womb	ulbena
आवृतः	is covered	āvṛtaḥ
गर्भः	embryo	garbhaḥ
तथा	so	tathā
तेन	by that lust	tena
इदं	this	idaṃ
आवृतं	is covered.	āvṛtaṃ

As fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust, or as the embryo is covered by the womb, the living entity is similarly covered by different degrees of this lust.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
आवृतं	covered	āvṛtaṃ
ज्ञानं	pure consciousness	jñānaṃ
एतेन	by this	etena
ज्ञानिनः	of the knower	jñāninaḥ
नित्यवैरिण	by the eternal enemy	nityavairiṇa
कामरूपेण	in the form of lust	kāmarūpeṇa
कौन्तेय	O son of Kunti	kaunteya
दुष्पूरेण	never to be satisfied	duṣpūreṇa
अनलेन	by the fire	analena
च	also.	ca

Thus the wise living entity’s pure consciousness becomes covered by his eternal enemy in the form of lust, which is never satisfied and which burns like fire.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
इन्द्रियाणि	the senses	indriyāṇi
मनः	the mind	manaḥ
बुद्धिः	the intelligence	buddhiḥ
अस्य	of this lust	asya
अधिष्ठानं	sitting place	adhiṣṭhānaṃ
उच्यते	is called	ucyate
एतैः	by all these	etaiḥ
विमोहयति	bewilders	vimohayati
एषः	this	eṣaḥ
ज्ञानं	knowledge	jñānaṃ
आवृत्य	covering	āvṛtya
देहिनं	of the embodied.	dehinaṃ

The senses, the mind and the intelligence are the sitting places of this lust. Through them lust covers the real knowledge of the living entity and bewilders him.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
तस्मात्	therefore	tasmāt
त्वं	you	tvaṃ
इन्द्रियाणि	senses	indriyāṇi
आदौ	in the beginning	ādau
नियम्य	by regulating	niyamya
भरतर्षभ	O chief amongst the descendants of Bharata	bharatarṣabha
पाप्मानं	the great symbol of sin	pāpmānaṃ
प्रजहि	curb	prajahi
हि	certainly	hi
एनं	this	enaṃ
ज्ञान	of knowledge	jñāna
विज्ञान	and scientific knowledge of the pure soul	vijñāna
नाशनं	the destroyer.	nāśanaṃ

Therefore, O Arjuna, best of the Bharatas, in the very beginning curb this great symbol of sin [lust] by regulating the senses, and slay this destroyer of knowledge and self-realization

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
इन्द्रियाणि	senses	indriyāṇi
पराणि	superior	parāṇi
आहुः	are said	āhuḥ
इन्द्रियेभ्यः	more than the senses	indriyebhyaḥ
परं	superior	paraṃ
मनः	the mind	manaḥ
मनसः	more than the mind	manasaḥ
तु	also	tu
परा	superior	parā
बुद्धिः	intelligence	buddhiḥ
यः	who	yaḥ
बुद्धेः	more than the intelligence	buddheḥ
परतः	superior	parataḥ
तु	but	tu
सः	he.	saḥ

The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence.

Sanskrit Word	Meaning	Transliteration
एवं	thus	evaṃ
बुद्धेः	to intelligence	buddheḥ
परं	superior	paraṃ
बुद्ध्वा	knowing	buddhvā
संस्तभ्य	by steadying	saṃstabhya
आत्मानं	the mind	ātmānaṃ
आत्मना	by deliberate intelligence	ātmanā
जहि	conquer	jahi
शत्रुं	the enemy	śatruṃ
महाबाहो	O mighty-armed one	mahābāho
कामरूपं	in the form of lust	kāmarūpaṃ
दुरासदं	formidable.	durāsadaṃ

Thus knowing oneself to be transcendental to the material senses, mind and intelligence, O mighty-armed Arjuna, one should steady the mind by deliberate spiritual intelligence [Krsna consciousness] and thus – by spiritual strength – conquer this insatiable enemy known as lust.