Bhagavad Gita/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!
Lord Krishna 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 anything worldly. Free from duality, O mighty-armed, such one easily breaks free from the bondage!
5:4. Also, they are not sages but children who speak about Sankhya and Yoga as about something different: those zealous even in one of them gain the fruits of both!
5:5. The level of advancement achieved by the followers of Sankhya is achieved by Yogis as well. The one who sees that Sankhya and Yoga are one in essence is right!
5:6. But without Yoga, O mighty-armed, it is hard to achieve sannyasa! On the other hand, the wise directed by Yoga attain Brahman quickly!
5:7. The one who is persevering in Yoga, who has cleared thus the Path to the Atman and established oneself in It, who has conquered the indriyas, who has cognized oneness of the Atmans of all beings, — such one remains steady even when acting.
5:8. “I do not perform unnecessary actions!” — this should know the one who has attained harmony and cognized the truth, when looking, hearing, smelling, touching, eating, moving, sleeping, breathing.
5:9. Speaking, giving, receiving, opening and closing the eyes, such one should be aware: it is only the indriyas moving among objects.
5:10. The one who dedicates all actions to Brahman performing them without any attachment will never be stained with sin as lotus’ leaves cannot be wetted with water.
5:11. Having renounced attachments (to actions in the world of matter and to their fruits), a Yogi acts by the body, consciousness, mind and other indriyas for the sake of cognition of his or her own Atman.
5:12. The one who has become steady and has renounced the desire of reward for actions attains perfect peace. The unsteady one, driven by worldly desires and attached to the reward, is fettered!
5:13. Having renounced unnecessary actions with the mind, the embodied one dwells evenly in this city of nine gates, neither acting nor coercing anyone to act.
5:14. Neither attitude to objects as to one’s own 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 to the one who has cognized the Atman and has destroyed thus 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 the Liberation!
5:18. The wise look 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. Being the calmed pure consciousness, the one who has cognized Brahman and established oneself in Brahman neither rejoices receiving that which is pleasant nor grieves receiving that which is unpleasant.
5:21. The one who is not attached to satisfaction of the senses by outer things and who finds joy in the Atman — such one, 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 one 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 achieves harmony and becomes a happy person!
5:24. The one 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 gotten rid of vices, become free from duality, cognized the Atman, and dedicated themselves to the good of all.
5:26. Free from worldly attractions and anger, dedicated to spiritual pursuits, having subdued the mind and having cognized the Atman — they attain the Nirvana in Brahman.
5:27. Taking the indriyas off everything worldly, directing all the vision inside, paying attention to the incoming and outgoing energies,
5:28. controlling the indriyas, mind, and consciousness, regarding Liberation as the main aim, 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, such a person 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.
Book in PDF
