Selected Songs from the Geeta-Chapter 6

The Method of Self Control
(Chapter Six)


The Lord God said:
"He who does not take refuge
in the fruits of action
While performing his duties
Is a sanyasi and a yogi

"While he who simply
forgoes activity
Is neither a sanyasi
Nor a yogi

"O Arjuna!
That which is known as 'sanyaas'
Understand that
to be yoga
Because
any one who does not forgo
his will unto Me
cannot be a yogi

"For a contemplative person
who wishes to attain unison
with Me
Action without craving
is the only solution

In addition,
once he is stable in yoga
He who attains
the stage of thoughtlessness
is pulled
neither by the senses
nor by action

"At that moment
the forgoer of all resolutions
is a sanyasi
and a yogi
and such a yogi
is a benefactor
for all

"Let each man by himself
raise himself
from the vast ocean
of this world
"Let him not be the cause
of his own downfall
because O Parth!
man is his own friend
and his own enemy

"That human being
who has won his mind
along with his senses and his body
is his own friend
While
he who does not
control his mind and senses
acts in a way
that makes him
his own enemy

"During winter and summer
happiness or sorrow
in praise and defamation
that person
whose inner faculties
is properly
stilled and steadied
In a self-conquered person such as he
the blissful Supreme
Is as if ever- present

"In his intellect
there is no knowledge
Other than
of the Supreme

"He whose inner-self is contented
with this science of yoga
whose sense organs
have been won
and for whom
a fistful of earth
a stone
or pot of gold
is worth the same

"that yogi is
fulfilled
and 'God realized'
so it is said

"That one
who is every one's well-wisher
is impartial
between an enemy
and a friend
and holds the same feelings
for the sinner
  as for the saint
is extremely superior

"A yogi who keeps his mind and body
under his control
Who is without expectations
and desires for acquisition

"Sits alone in a quiet place
and applies his soul
to the Supreme Soul

"Let him sit
upon a clean floor
on which is placed his seat
of cloth and straw
which is neither too high
nor too low
on such a seat
let him be steady
and practice yoga
with Me

"Let him sit straight
with his body head and thoughts
Aligned
his vision
focused
on the origin of his nose
Not straying 
in other directions

"Let him be stable in celibacy
and fearlessly
with a peaceful
inner self
purify his inner being

"The cautious yogi
who sits
with his mind controlled
in My remembrance
surrendered unto Me
will realize
that Supreme Bliss
that resides in Me"


"O Arjuna!
This yoga
is not attained
by those who eat too much
Nor by those who eat nothing
Not
by he who sleeps too much
Nor
by one who sleeps too little

"This  supreme yoga
which ends all sorrow
Is only for those
who eat and leisure
appropriately
Who make effort in action
appropriately
And for those who sleep
and awaken
appropriately

"Just as the flame
that does not waver in the wind
It is said that such
is the mind of the yogi
who is completely
absorbed in Me

"That sinless yogi
always experiences
The Blissful Supreme

"And he
who sees Me
the Almighty Vasudeva
As pervasive in all beings
And sees all souls
as being in Me
I am never out of sight for such a devotee
Nor is he
ever out of sight for Me

"O Arjuna!
That yogi who sees others
as he sees him self
and sees happiness and sorrow
in others
as in himself
He is said to be
the best yogi"

Arjuna said:
"O Madhusudana!
This yoga,
which you have explained
with such equanimity 
I cannot see it happening
with ease

"Because the mind, O Krishna!
is very active
Is domineering,
stubborn and strong

"To control the mind
I feel
Is as difficult
as it is
to control the wind"

The Lord said:
"O Arjuna!
Without doubt,
the mind is overly active
and difficult to control
But this can be done
with practice

"For him
Whose mind is not in his control
yoga is unattainable
  While for those
whose mind is in control
Yoga is easy
This is my view"

Arjuna said:
"O Krishna!
Those who have faith in yoga
But at the end moment
are unable to control their thoughts
If he doesn't reach the Lord
Where does he arrive at?

"O Great Armed one!
Is such a person who has strayed
at his final moment
destroyed like the clouds
that is scattered
in all directions?

The Lord said:
"O Partha!
Such a person  is destroyed
neither in this world
nor in the next
Because O loved one!
No person who strives
to improve himself
Or endeavors
to attain the Supreme,
ever destroyed

"That person who went astray
From the path
of God realization-
When he dies,
he resides
for many years
in the realms divine
called paradise

" Then later
he is re- born
in a family
of the righteous and the saintly

He does not go to those other worlds
But takes birth
To knowledgeable
yogis
But this kind of birth
On earth
is very rare indeed

"In his new family
such a child- yogi
makes effort once again
With even greater force
on the basis of his qualities
Acquired previously

"But the yogi effort maker
who practices constantly
attains God
in this life itself
through accumulated traits of character
of many former births

"The yogi is better than the ascetic
He is greater than the knower of the Scriptures
And greater even
Than performer of elevated actions
Therefore O Arjuna,
Be thou a yogi!"

"And among all yogis
That yogi
who is always reverential
Who worships Me
continually
The best
is he loved by Me"

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All copy rights of this translation reserved by the author and Kalyani Publications, May 2008