Conversation 5. Yoga of Detachment

Bhagavad Gita with Commentaries / Conversation 5. Yoga of Detachment

Conversation 5. Yoga of Detachment

Arjuna said:

5:1. You praise sannyasa*, O Krishna, as well as yoga! Which of these two should I choose? Tell me for certain!

The Blessed One said:

5:2. Both sannyasa and karma yoga will bring you to the highest good. But, verily, karma yoga is preferable.

5:3. Know that the true sannyasi is the one who hates no one and does not desire the worldly. Free from duality, O mighty-armed, he easily breaks free from bondage.

5:4. Also they are not sages but children who speak about sankhya and yoga as about something different: he who is zealous even in one of them gains the fruits of both.

5:5. The level of advancement achieved by the followers of sankhya is achieved by yogis as well. He is right who sees that sankhya and yoga are one in essence.

5:6. But without yoga, O mighty-armed, it is hard to achieve sannyasa. On the other hand, the wise directed by yoga attains Brahman quickly.

5:7. He who is persevering in yoga, who has cleared thus his path to the Atman and established oneself in It, who has conquered his indriyas, who has cognized oneness of the Atmans of all beings, — he remains steady even when acting.

5:8. “I do not perform unnecessary actions!” — this should know he who has attained harmony and cognized the truth when looking, hearing, smell, touching, eating, moving, sleeping, breathing.

5:9. Speaking, giving, receiving, opening and closing the eyes, he should be aware: It is only the indriyas moving among objects.

5:10. He who dedicates all his actions to Brahman performing them without attachment will never be stained with sin as lotus’ leaves can never be wet with water.

5:11. Having renounced attachments (to actions in the world of matter and to their fruits), a yogi acts by his body, consciousness, mind and other indriyas for the sake of cognition of his Atman.

5:12. He who has become steady and renounced the desire of reward for his activity attains the perfect peace. The unsteady one driven by his worldly desires, attached to rewards is fettered.

5:13. Having renounced actions with his mind, the one incarnated into a body dwells evenly in this city of nine gates, neither acting nor coercing anyone to act.

5:14. Neither attitude to objects as to property, nor vain activity of people, nor attachments to its fruits are created by the Lord of the world. All this is created by the life self-developing in the matter.

5:15. The Lord is not responsible for the deeds of people, be they bad or good. This wisdom is covered by ignorance that overcame people.

5:16. But for him who cognized the Atman and thus destroyed the ignorance, this wisdom, shining like the Sun, reveals the Supreme!

5:17. The one who has cognized oneself as a buddhi, who has associated oneself with the Atman, who is devoted only to the Lord and takes refuge in Him — such one, purified by salvational wisdom, goes to Liberation.

5:18. The wise looks equally upon all — be it a brahman endowed with knowledge and humility, an elephant, a cow, a dog, or even a man eating a dog.

5:19. Here on the Earth, birth and death are conquered by the one whose mind is appeased. Brahman is devoid of sin and exists in calm. Therefore, those living in calm — cognize Brahman.

5:20. With calmed pure consciousness, the one who has cognized Brahman and established oneself in Brahman neither rejoices receiving the pleasant nor grieves receiving the unpleasant.

5:21. He who is not attached to satisfaction of his senses by the outer things and finds joy in the Atman — he, upon reaching unity with Brahman, partakes of the eternal Bliss.

5:22. Joys arising from contacts with material objects are verily the source of suffering, for all they begin and end, O Kaunteya. The wise finds joy not in them.

5:23. The one who here, on the Earth, before liberation from the body, can resist the power of worldly attractions and anger — such one achieved harmony, he is a happy person.

5:24. He who is happy within, who finds joy not in the outer, who is illuminated (by love) within — such a yogi is capable of cognizing the essence of Brahman and attaining the Nirvana in Brahman.

5:25. The Nirvana in Brahman is attained by those rishis who have got rid of vices, became free from duality, cognized the Atman, and dedicated themselves to the good of all.

5:26. Free from the worldly attractions and anger, dedicated to spiritual pursuits, having subdued the mind and cognized the Atman — they attain the Nirvana in Brahman.

5:27. Taking the indriyas off all the “earthly”, directing all his vision inside*, paying attention to the incoming and outgoing energies^*,

5:28. controlling the indriyas, mind, and consciousness, regarding Liberation as his goal, renouncing worldly attractions, fear, and anger, man attains full Freedom.

5:29. Knowing Me as Great Ishvara, Who rejoices at sacrificial deeds and spiritual feats and Who is the Benefactor of all living beings, he attains full contentment.

Thus in the upanishads of the blessed Bhagavad Gita, the Science of Eternal, the Scripture of yoga, says the fifth conversation between Shri Krishna and Arjuna, entitled:

Yoga of Detachment.