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The Lord said:
1. I taught this eternal way to Vivasvat; Vivasvat showed it to Manu; Manu told it to Ikshvaku.
2. And it was this way, passed on from teacher to teacher in an unbroken line, that the royal seers knew. Over a long period of time here on earth that track was obliterated, Incinerator of the Foe.
3. It is this very same ancient way that I have shown you now, for you are devoted, and my friend, and this is the most secret teaching.
Arjuna said:
4. You were born recently, Vivasvat was born a long time ago, so what should I understand by the saying that you taught it in the beginning?
The Lord said:
5. I have passed through many births, and so have you, Arjuna. I know them all, you do not, Incinerator of the Foe.
6. Although I am unborn and have a self that is eternal, although I am lord of beings, by controlling my own material nature I come into being by means of my own incomprehensible power.
7. Whenever there is a falling away from the true law and an upsurge of unlawfulness, then, Bharata, I emit myself.
8. I come into being age age age, to protect the virtuous and to destroy evil-doers, to establish a firm basis for the true law.
9. Whoever knows my divine birth and action as they really are is not born again on leaving the body. He comes to me, Arjuna.
10. There are many, free of passion, fear, and anger, at one with, taking refuge in me, who, refined in the heat of knowledge, have come to my state of being.
11. I favour them according to the manner in which they approach me. Men, Partha, universally follow my path.
12. Desiring the attainment that comes from ritual acts, men here sacrifice to the gods; for in the human world the attainment born of sacrificial action comes quickly.
13. The four estates were created by me, divided according to constituents and actions. Although I alone am the one who did this, know that I am an eternal non-actor.
14. Actions do not taint me. I have no desire for the results of action. Whoever understands that I am like this is not bound by actions.
15. Men of old who desired release know this and acted. Therefore you should act as they once acted.
16. What is action, what is non-action? Even inspired seers are confused about this. Such action I shall explain to you, and understanding it you shall be freed from evil.
17. You should know what constitutes action, wrong action, and non-action. The way of action runs deep.
18. He who sees action in non-action, non-action in action, is wise among men; performing all actions he is disciplined.
19. The wise call him a man of learning whose every activity is free from desire and specific intention; his actions are consumed in the fire of knowledge.
20. That man who depends upon nothing, who has given up attachment to the results of action, is perpetually satisfied, and even though engaged in action he does nothing whatsoever.
21. Acting for the body alone, without expectation, having abandoned possessions, restrained in thought and self, he incurs no defilement.
22. Content with what comes by chance, having gone beyond dualities, free from envy, the same in success and in failure, even when he has acted he is not bound.
23. For the man who is rid of attachment, who has attained release, whose thought is anchored in knowledge, action is sacrificial and melts entirely away.
24. The offer is Brahman, the oblation is Brahman, poured by Brahman into the fire that is Brahman. Brahman is to be attained by that man who concentrates intensely on the action that is Brahman.
25. Some skilled performers concentrate on sacrifice to one of the dieties; some offer sacrifice through the sacrifice itself into the fire of Brahman;
26. Others offer the senses (such as hearing) into the fires of restraint; others again offer the objects of the senses (such as sound) into the fires of the senses;
27. Some offer all actions of sense and breath into the fire of the discipline of self-restraint, kindled by knowledge.
28. Similarly there are others, sacrificers with material substance, with bodily mortification, with spiritual exercise, with Vedic study and knowledge – ascetics with uncompromising vows.
29. And again, those whose object is breath-control offer the inhaled into the exhaled breath, and the exhaled into the inhaled, restricting their passage.
30. Others, who has put limits on their consumption of food, offer their inhalation into their inhalation. All these, who know what sacrifice is, have their imperfections obliterated by sacrifice.
31. Those who eat the immortality-conferring remnants of the sacrifice go to primeval Brahman. Best of Kurus, this world, let alone the other is not for non-sacrificers.
32. Thus many kinds of sacrifice are stretched out in the mouth of Brahman. Remember that they are all born of action; knowing that, you will be liberated.
33. Incinerator of the Foe, the sacrifice of knowledge is better than the sacrifice of material substance. There is no action whatsoever, Partha, which is not concluded in knowledge.
34. Know this: through your submission, through the questions you ask, through your service, those who have knowledge, who see things as they are, will teach you knowledge.
35. And having it, you will never be bewildered in such a way again, Pandava. Through it you shall see all creatures in yourself, and then in me.
36. Even if you are the very worst of all transgressors, with the boat of knowledge you shall plot a safe course through all crookedness.
37. As a lighted fire reduces kindling to ash, in the same way, Arjuna, the fire of knowledge incinerates all actions.
38. Nothing on earth has the purificatory power of knowledge; eventually; the man who has perfected his disciplined practice discovers it in himself.
39. Restraining his senses, the man of faith who is devoted to knowledge attains it. And having attained knowledge, he rapidly achieves supreme peace.
40. The faithless and ignorant man, whose nature it is to doubt, perishes. Not this world, nor the one beyond, nor happiness exists for the doubter.
41. But the self-possessed man, Dhananjaya, who has renounced action through discipline, and cut through doubt with knowledge, is not bound by actions.
42. Therefore, having severed with the blade of knowledge this doubt of yours, which stems from ignorance and is fixed in the heart, act with discipline, Bharata – arise !