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The Yoga of Wisdom in Action
ज्ञानकर्मसंन्यासयोगः · Jñāna-karma-saṃnyāsa-yoga · 42 verses
Krishna reveals why he comes: whenever dharma weakens, he appears. Then he widens the idea of action: there is action within inaction and inaction within action, and every offering, whether wealth, breath, study or the senses themselves, can become a sacrifice. The chapter names knowledge as the fire that burns away the weight of our actions.
Traditionally linked with Mars, the planet of drive and action, and with the 9th house of dharma and purpose. It is read during a Mars Maha Dasha to turn restless energy into purposeful work, and to see that acting well and acting wisely are the same discipline. It is a reflective practice, not a prediction.
श्रीभगवानुवाच
इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम् ।
विवस्वान्मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ॥
śrībhagavānuvāca
imaṃ vivasvate yogaṃ proktavānahamavyayam |
vivasvānmanave prāha manurikṣvākave’bravīt ||
एवं परम्पराप्राप्तमिमं राजर्षयो विदुः ।
स कालेनेह महता योगो नष्टः परन्तप ॥
evaṃ paramparāprāptamimaṃ rājarṣayo viduḥ |
sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa ||
स एवायं मया तेऽद्य योगः प्रोक्तः पुरातनः ।
भक्तोऽसि मे सखा चेति रहस्यं ह्येतदुत्तमम् ॥
sa evāyaṃ mayā te’dya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ |
bhakto’si me sakhā ceti rahasyaṃ hyetaduttamam ||
Krishna says: I taught this imperishable yoga to Vivasvan, the sun god; he taught it to Manu, and Manu to Ikshvaku. Handed down in this way, the royal sages knew it, but over a long time it was lost. That same ancient yoga I have told you today, because you are My devotee and friend, and this is the supreme secret.
अर्जुन उवाच
अपरं भवतो जन्म परं जन्म विवस्वतः ।
कथमेतद्विजानीयां त्वमादौ प्रोक्तवानिति ॥
arjuna uvāca
aparaṃ bhavato janma paraṃ janma vivasvataḥ |
kathametadvijānīyāṃ tvamādau proktavāniti ||
श्रीभगवानुवाच
बहूनि मे व्यतीतानि जन्मानि तव चार्जुन ।
तान्यहं वेद सर्वाणि न त्वं वेत्थ परन्तप ॥
śrībhagavānuvāca
bahūni me vyatītāni janmāni tava cārjuna |
tānyahaṃ veda sarvāṇi na tvaṃ vettha parantapa ||
Arjuna asks: your birth is recent and Vivasvan's was long ago; how am I to understand that you taught this at the beginning? Krishna answers: many births of Mine have passed, and of yours too, Arjuna. I know them all; you do not.
अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन् ।
प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय सम्भवाम्यात्ममायया ॥
ajo’pi sannavyayātmā bhūtānāmīśvaro’pi san |
prakṛtiṃ svāmadhiṣṭhāya sambhavāmyātmamāyayā ||
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत ।
अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजाम्यहम् ॥
yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānirbhavati bhārata |
abhyutthānamadharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmyaham ||
परित्राणाय साधूनां विनाशाय च दुष्कृताम् ।
धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय सम्भवामि युगे युगे ॥
paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṃ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām |
dharmasaṃsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge ||
Though I am unborn and unchanging, and the Lord of all beings, I come into being through My own power, within My own nature. Whenever dharma declines and wrong rises, I bring Myself forth. To protect the good, to end wrongdoing and to restore dharma, I appear in every age.
जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वतः ।
त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन ॥
janma karma ca me divyamevaṃ yo vetti tattvataḥ |
tyaktvā dehaṃ punarjanma naiti māmeti so’rjuna ||
वीतरागभयक्रोधा मन्मया मामुपाश्रिताः ।
बहवो ज्ञानतपसा पूता मद्भावमागताः ॥
vītarāgabhayakrodhā manmayā māmupāśritāḥ |
bahavo jñānatapasā pūtā madbhāvamāgatāḥ ||
One who truly knows My divine birth and work in this way is not born again after leaving the body, but comes to Me. Freed from attachment, fear and anger, absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, and purified by the discipline of knowledge, many have reached My nature.
ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम् ।
मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः ॥
ye yathā māṃ prapadyante tāṃstathaiva bhajāmyaham |
mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ ||
काङ्क्षन्तः कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवताः ।
क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा ॥
kāṅkṣantaḥ karmaṇāṃ siddhiṃ yajanta iha devatāḥ |
kṣipraṃ hi mānuṣe loke siddhirbhavati karmajā ||
However people approach Me, I respond in kind, and people follow My path in every way. Those who want success from their actions worship the gods here, for success born of action comes quickly in the human world.
चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः ।
तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ॥
cāturvarṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ guṇakarmavibhāgaśaḥ |
tasya kartāramapi māṃ viddhyakartāramavyayam ||
न मां कर्माणि लिम्पन्ति न मे कर्मफले स्पृहा ।
इति मां योऽभिजानाति कर्मभिर्न स बध्यते ॥
na māṃ karmāṇi limpanti na me karmaphale spṛhā |
iti māṃ yo’bhijānāti karmabhirna sa badhyate ||
एवं ज्ञात्वा कृतं कर्म पूर्वैरपि मुमुक्षुभिः ।
कुरु कर्मैव तस्मात्त्वं पूर्वैः पूर्वतरं कृतम् ॥
evaṃ jñātvā kṛtaṃ karma pūrvairapi mumukṣubhiḥ |
kuru karmaiva tasmāttvaṃ pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṃ kṛtam ||
Krishna says: I set up the fourfold order of society according to people's qualities and work; though I am its author, know Me as the one who does not act and does not change. Actions do not stain Me, and I have no craving for their results; whoever knows Me this way is not bound by action. Knowing this, seekers of freedom in ancient times also acted, so act as the ancients did.
किं कर्म किमकर्मेति कवयोऽप्यत्र मोहिताः ।
तत्ते कर्म प्रवक्ष्यामि यज्ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसेऽशुभात् ॥
kiṃ karma kimakarmeti kavayo’pyatra mohitāḥ |
tatte karma pravakṣyāmi yajjñātvā mokṣyase’śubhāt ||
कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः ।
अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं गहना कर्मणो गतिः ॥
karmaṇo hyapi boddhavyaṃ boddhavyaṃ ca vikarmaṇaḥ |
akarmaṇaśca boddhavyaṃ gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ ||
कर्मण्यकर्म यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः ।
स बुद्धिमान्मनुष्येषु स युक्तः कृत्स्नकर्मकृत् ॥
karmaṇyakarma yaḥ paśyedakarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ |
sa buddhimānmanuṣyeṣu sa yuktaḥ kṛtsnakarmakṛt ||
What is action, and what is inaction? Even the wise are confused here. I will tell you what action is, and knowing it you will be free of what binds you. One must understand action, wrong action and inaction; the way of action is subtle. The one who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is wise among people, a true yogi, and has done all that needs doing.
यस्य सर्वे समारम्भाः कामसङ्कल्पवर्जिताः ।
ज्ञानाग्निदग्धकर्माणं तमाहुः पण्डितं बुधाः ॥
yasya sarve samārambhāḥ kāmasaṅkalpavarjitāḥ |
jñānāgnidagdhakarmāṇaṃ tamāhuḥ paṇḍitaṃ budhāḥ ||
त्यक्त्वा कर्मफलासङ्गं नित्यतृप्तो निराश्रयः ।
कर्मण्यभिप्रवृत्तोऽपि नैव किञ्चित्करोति सः ॥
tyaktvā karmaphalāsaṅgaṃ nityatṛpto nirāśrayaḥ |
karmaṇyabhipravṛtto’pi naiva kiñcitkaroti saḥ ||
निराशीर्यतचित्तात्मा त्यक्तसर्वपरिग्रहः ।
शारीरं केवलं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥
nirāśīryatacittātmā tyaktasarvaparigrahaḥ |
śārīraṃ kevalaṃ karma kurvannāpnoti kilbiṣam ||
यदृच्छालाभसन्तुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः ।
समः सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वापि न निबध्यते ॥
yadṛcchālābhasantuṣṭo dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ |
samaḥ siddhāvasiddhau ca kṛtvāpi na nibadhyate ||
गतसङ्गस्य मुक्तस्य ज्ञानावस्थितचेतसः ।
यज्ञायाचरतः कर्म समग्रं प्रविलीयते ॥
gatasaṅgasya muktasya jñānāvasthitacetasaḥ |
yajñāyācarataḥ karma samagraṃ pravilīyate ||
Those whose undertakings are free of craving and scheming, and whose actions are burned in the fire of knowledge, are called wise. Giving up attachment to results, always content and dependent on nothing, such a person does nothing even while engaged in action. Without hope or possessiveness, with mind and body under control and acting only to maintain the body, they incur no fault. Content with what comes, beyond opposites, free of envy and even in success and failure, they are not bound even though they act. For one who is free from attachment, whose mind is rooted in knowledge and who works as an offering, all action dissolves.
ब्रह्मार्पणं ब्रह्म हविर्ब्रह्माग्नौ ब्रह्मणा हुतम् ।
ब्रह्मैव तेन गन्तव्यं ब्रह्मकर्मसमाधिना ॥
brahmārpaṇaṃ brahma havirbrahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam |
brahmaiva tena gantavyaṃ brahmakarmasamādhinā ||
दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते ।
ब्रह्माग्नावपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्वति ॥
daivamevāpare yajñaṃ yoginaḥ paryupāsate |
brahmāgnāvapare yajñaṃ yajñenaivopajuhvati ||
श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति ।
शब्दादीन्विषयानन्य इन्द्रियाग्निषु जुह्वति ॥
śrotrādīnīndriyāṇyanye saṃyamāgniṣu juhvati |
śabdādīnviṣayānanya indriyāgniṣu juhvati ||
सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे ।
आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपिते ॥
sarvāṇīndriyakarmāṇi prāṇakarmāṇi cāpare |
ātmasaṃyamayogāgnau juhvati jñānadīpite ||
The offering is Brahman, the oblation is Brahman, poured by Brahman into the fire that is Brahman; one who sees Brahman in every act reaches Brahman. Some yogis honour the gods with sacrifice; others offer the sacrifice itself into the fire of Brahman. Some offer hearing and the other senses into the fires of restraint; others offer sound and the other objects of sense into the fires of the senses. Still others offer all the activity of the senses and of the breath into the fire of self-control, kindled by knowledge.
द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे ।
स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतयः संशितव्रताः ॥
dravyayajñāstapoyajñā yogayajñāstathāpare |
svādhyāyajñānayajñāśca yatayaḥ saṃśitavratāḥ ||
अपाने जुह्वति प्राणं प्राणेऽपानं तथापरे ।
प्राणापानगती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायामपरायणाः ॥
apāne juhvati prāṇaṃ prāṇe’pānaṃ tathāpare |
prāṇāpānagatī ruddhvā prāṇāyāmaparāyaṇāḥ ||
अपरे नियताहाराः प्राणान्प्राणेषु जुह्वति ।
सर्वेऽप्येते यज्ञविदो यज्ञक्षपितकल्मषाः ॥
apare niyatāhārāḥ prāṇānprāṇeṣu juhvati |
sarve’pyete yajñavido yajñakṣapitakalmaṣāḥ ||
Some practise sacrifice through wealth, austerity, yoga or study and knowledge, careful and firm in their vows. Others offer the incoming breath into the outgoing, and the outgoing into the incoming, steadying the breath. Others, limiting their food, offer breaths into breaths. All of these understand sacrifice, and their wrongs are cleared away by sacrifice.
यज्ञशिष्टामृतभुजो यान्ति ब्रह्म सनातनम् ।
नायं लोकोऽस्त्ययज्ञस्य कुतोऽन्यः कुरुसत्तम ॥
yajñaśiṣṭāmṛtabhujo yānti brahma sanātanam |
nāyaṃ loko’styayajñasya kuto’nyaḥ kurusattama ||
एवं बहुविधा यज्ञा वितता ब्रह्मणो मुखे ।
कर्मजान्विद्धि तान्सर्वानेवं ज्ञात्वा विमोक्ष्यसे ॥
evaṃ bahuvidhā yajñā vitatā brahmaṇo mukhe |
karmajānviddhi tānsarvānevaṃ jñātvā vimokṣyase ||
श्रेयान्द्रव्यमयाद्यज्ञाज्ज्ञानयज्ञः परन्तप ।
सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते ॥
śreyāndravyamayādyajñājjñānayajñaḥ parantapa |
sarvaṃ karmākhilaṃ pārtha jñāne parisamāpyate ||
Those who live on the nectar left after sacrifice reach the eternal Brahman; this world is not for one who offers nothing, so how could another be? In this way many kinds of sacrifice are spread out before Brahman. Know them all as born of action, and knowing this you will be free. A sacrifice of knowledge is better than a sacrifice of material things, for all action finds its completion in knowledge.
तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया ।
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः ॥
tadviddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā |
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṃ jñāninastattvadarśinaḥ ||
यज्ज्ञात्वा न पुनर्मोहमेवं यास्यसि पाण्डव ।
येन भूतान्यशेषेण द्रक्ष्यस्यात्मन्यथो मयि ॥
yajjñātvā na punarmohamevaṃ yāsyasi pāṇḍava |
yena bhūtānyaśeṣeṇa drakṣyasyātmanyatho mayi ||
Learn this by humble respect, by asking questions and by service; those who have seen the truth will teach you this knowledge. Knowing it, you will not fall into confusion again, and through it you will see all beings in yourself, and then in Me.
अपि चेदसि पापेभ्यः सर्वेभ्यः पापकृत्तमः ।
सर्वं ज्ञानप्लवेनैव वृजिनं सन्तरिष्यसि ॥
api cedasi pāpebhyaḥ sarvebhyaḥ pāpakṛttamaḥ |
sarvaṃ jñānaplavenaiva vṛjinaṃ santariṣyasi ||
यथैधांसि समिद्धोऽग्निर्भस्मसात्कुरुतेऽर्जुन ।
ज्ञानाग्निः सर्वकर्माणि भस्मसात्कुरुते तथा ॥
yathaidhāṃsi samiddho’gnirbhasmasātkurute’rjuna |
jñānāgniḥ sarvakarmāṇi bhasmasātkurute tathā ||
न हि ज्ञानेन सदृशं पवित्रमिह विद्यते ।
तत्स्वयं योगसंसिद्धः कालेनात्मनि विन्दति ॥
na hi jñānena sadṛśaṃ pavitramiha vidyate |
tatsvayaṃ yogasaṃsiddhaḥ kālenātmani vindati ||
Even if you were the greatest wrongdoer of all, you could cross over every wrong by the raft of knowledge alone. As a blazing fire turns fuel to ash, the fire of knowledge turns all actions to ash. Nothing in this world purifies like knowledge, and one who is perfected in yoga finds it in the self in time.
श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः ।
ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति ॥
śraddhāvām̐llabhate jñānaṃ tatparaḥ saṃyatendriyaḥ |
jñānaṃ labdhvā parāṃ śāntimacireṇādhigacchati ||
अज्ञश्चाश्रद्दधानश्च संशयात्मा विनश्यति ।
नायं लोकोऽस्ति न परो न सुखं संशयात्मनः ॥
ajñaścāśraddadhānaśca saṃśayātmā vinaśyati |
nāyaṃ loko’sti na paro na sukhaṃ saṃśayātmanaḥ ||
One who has faith, is devoted and has mastered the senses gains knowledge, and having gained it quickly reaches supreme peace. But the ignorant person who has no faith and is full of doubt is lost; for the doubter there is neither this world, nor the next, nor happiness.
योगसंन्यस्तकर्माणं ज्ञानसञ्छिन्नसंशयम् ।
आत्मवन्तं न कर्माणि निबध्नन्ति धनञ्जय ॥
yogasaṃnyastakarmāṇaṃ jñānasañchinnasaṃśayam |
ātmavantaṃ na karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya ||
तस्मादज्ञानसम्भूतं हृत्स्थं ज्ञानासिनात्मनः ।
छित्त्वैनं संशयं योगमातिष्ठोत्तिष्ठ भारत ॥
tasmādajñānasambhūtaṃ hṛtsthaṃ jñānāsinātmanaḥ |
chittvainaṃ saṃśayaṃ yogamātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata ||
One who has given up the grip of action through yoga, whose doubts are cut by knowledge, and who is in command of themselves, is not bound by actions. So, with the sword of knowledge, cut through this doubt in your heart that was born of ignorance. Take refuge in yoga; rise up, Arjuna.
The verses are the traditional Sanskrit text. The explanations are original summaries, not a particular translator's words. The astrology guide is a devotional, reflective practice, not a prediction and not a substitute for professional advice.