Sanskrit text in Devanagari, Kannada, Gujarati, English, Telugu
||om tat sat||
अर्जुन उवाच:
सन्न्यासस्य महाबाहो तत्त्वमिच्छामि वेदितुम्।
त्यागस्य च हृष्केश पृथक्केसि निषूदन ॥1||
"O Mahabaho, O Slayer of Kesi, O Hrishikesa, I want to know severally the essence of renunciation as well as tyaga or abandonment "
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श्रीकृष्णपरब्रह्मने नमः
श्रीमद्भगवद्गीत
अष्टादशोऽध्यायः
मोक्षसन्यासयोगः

This chapter is called Moksha Sannyasa Yoga.

Shankaracharya in his Bhashyam viewed this chapter as summation of all that is said in the previous chapters.

Shankaracharya says "Whatever has been told in the past chapters is seen in this chapter," ("सर्वेषु हि अतीत्येषु अध्यायेषु उक्तः अर्थः अस्मिन् अध्याये अवगम्यते"). So, this chapter in a way recapitulates what has been told in the earlier chapters. In that sense this is the concluding chapter wherein one necessarily looks at the summation too. So, we would be seeing the culmination of thoughts on the three principal streams namely Karma Yoga, Jnyana Yoga and Bhakti Yoga.

In the earlier chapters we heard about Moksha, the liberation following the path of knowledge, path of action and path of devotion. This chapter titled Moksha Sannyasa Yoga, is about attaining Moksha through renunciation that leads to liberation. This chapter is about liberation through renunciation, offering everything the lord, and giving up all attachments which is in line with the tittle of the chapter

Moksha means being free form all bonds. Such freedom from all bonds is possible only through renunciation or giving up. The idea of renunciation or giving up are one and the same. Once the mind, which is always running after the visible world, stops its wandering and remains focused on Self, what is left is Self only directing the soul. That state is liberation.

There is another strand of thought about the tittle of the chapter Moksha Sannyasa.

Etymologically Moksha Sannyasa - means Sannyasa or renunciation of Moksha. Giving up on Moksha as a goal. Who can give up Moksha? The one who realized Self, who has no attachments and that includes attachment to Moksha. Having absorbed the spiritual discourse through seventeen chapters, one is already enlightened. So, where is the question of attachment even to Moksha? So in this chapter we come to understand the renunciation of Moksha itself. Hence it is called Moksha Sannyasa Yoga.

The final discourse starts on renunciation which has been referred to as Sannyasa and Tyaga at different points in the long discourse. Arjuna asks Krishna to elaborate about Sannyasa and Tyaga as distinguished from each other. Both having virtually same connotation.

Krishna has referred to sannyasa and tyaga at a number of places almost synonymously during this discourse. Some of those references are as follows.

सन्न्यास योग युक्तात्मा विमुक्तो मामुपैष्यसि ( 9.28) referring to renunciation (Sannyasa) of fruits of Karma thus attaining Him
येतु सर्वाणी कर्माणि मयि सन्न्यस्य मत्पराः (12.6) referring again all karmas being dedicated to "Him" or effectively renunciated (Sannyasa) in favor of Him ;
सर्वकर्म फलत्यागं ततः कुरु (12.11) referring to Tyaga or renunciation of fruits of all actions ;
ध्यानात्कर्म फलत्यागं त्यागात् शान्ति रनन्तरम् (12.12) referring to the peace one obtains after Tyaga or renunciation ;
सर्वारन्भ परित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः (12.16) referring to renouncing or Tyaga of all undertakings ;
सर्वारम्भ परित्यागी गुणातीतः स उच्यते (14.25) again referring to renouncing ( or Tyaga) of all undertakings.

So, this question of Arjuna wanting to know the difference between Tyaga and Sannyasa starts Krishna on the final and concluding discourse:

.
||Sloka 1||

अर्जुन उवाच:
सन्न्यासस्य महाबाहो तत्त्वमिच्छामि वेदितुम्।
त्यागस्य च हृषीकेश पृथक्केशि निषूदन ॥1||

स॥ हे महाबाहो !हे हृषीकेश ! हे केशि निषूदन! सन्न्यासस्य त्यागस्य तत्त्वं पृथक् वेदितुं इच्छामि॥1||

||Sloka meanings ||

महाबाहो - mighty armed one
हृषीकेश - lord of the senses
केशि निषूदन- Slayer of Kesi
सन्न्यासस्य त्यागस्य तत्त्वं - The essence of Sannyasa and Tyaga
पृथक् वेदितुं इच्छामि- want to know as separate from each other

||Sloka summary||
Arjuna said:
"O, mighty armed one, lord of the senses, slayer of Kesi, I want to know the essence of Sannyasa and Tyaga as separate from each other."||1||

In this sloka, Arjuna calls Krishna by three names, 'Mahabaho', 'Kesi nishudana' and 'Hrishikesa'. Two of then refer to his external prowess. The third one Hrishikesa, has the implied power of removing internal disturbances. The three words of address is result of extreme love and respect Arjuna for Krishna.

||Sloka 2||

श्रीभगवानुवाच:
काम्यानां कर्मणं न्यासं सन्न्यासं कवयो विदुः।
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं प्राहुः त्यागं विचक्षणाः ॥2||

स॥ काम्यानाम् कर्मणाम् न्यासं सन्न्यासं कवयः विदुः। सर्वकर्मफलत्यागम् त्यागम् विचक्षणाः प्राहुः॥2||

||Sloka meanings ||

काम्यानाम् कर्मणाम् न्यासं - giving up of actions done with desire for reward
सन्न्यासं कवयः विदुः- is said to be Sannyasa by those who know
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागम्- giving up fruits of all actions
त्यागम् विचक्षणाः प्राहुः- is said to be Tyaga by others who know.

||Sloka summary||

"Giving up of actions done with desire for reward is said to be Sannyasa by those who know. Giving up fruits of all actions
is said to be Tyaga by others."||2||.

Apart from actions done with desire for reward, there are Nitya karmas enjoined for various people. These Nitya karmas also have fruits. Giving up fruits of all actions including the incidental ordained action is said to be Tyaga. Krishna said this is the view of some. So he has not yet endorsed either.

||Sloka 3||

त्याज्यं दोषवदित्येके कर्म प्राहुः मनीषिणः।
यज्ञदान तपः कर्म न त्याज्यमिति चापरे ॥3||

स॥ एके मनीषिणः दोषवत् कर्म त्याज्यम् इति प्राहुः।अपरे यज्ञ दान तपः कर्म न त्याज्यं इति च॥3||

||Sloka meanings ||
एके मनीषिणः - some people
दोषवत् कर्म त्याज्यम् - like an evil action too shall be given up
इति प्राहुः- it is said.
अपरे - others (say)
यज्ञ दान तपः कर्म - sacrifice charity and austerity
न त्याज्यं इति च- shall not be given up

||Sloka summary||

"It is said by some people, that like an evil action too shall be given up.
Others say sacrifice charity and austerity shall not be given up."||3||

Because actions create bondage, all actions should be given up is one line of thinking. This line of thinking does come in the path of Knowledge. Sacrifice, charity, and austerities, having been explicitly stated as desirable activities in Vedas, should not be given up is another line of thinking. The issue of giving up of action is only for the people on the path of action (Karma Yoga). For those on the path of knowledge, the question of giving up action does not arise, since they are already on the path of Knowledge.

||Sloka 4||

निश्चयं शृणुमे तत्र त्यागे भरतसत्तम।
त्यागोहि पुरुषव्याघ्र त्रिविधः सम्प्रकीर्तितः ॥4||

स॥ हे भरत सत्तम! तत्र त्यागे मे निश्चयम् शृणु । हे पुरुषव्याघ्र त्यागः त्रिविधः संप्रकीर्तितः ॥4||

||Sloka meanings ||
भरत सत्तम- best of Bharatas
तत्र त्यागे - about giving up actions
मे निश्चयम् शृणु - hear my firm conclusion
त्यागः त्रिविधः संप्रकीर्तितः -
Tyaga has been declared to be of three kinds

||Sloka summary||
"Best of Bharatas about giving up actions hear my firm conclusion.
Tyaga has been declared to be of three kinds
"||4||

The listing of different points of view tells us that Arjuna's question is quite valid. Now Krishna says, "I will tell you my view".

Here, Krishna is saying Tyaga or Sannyasa are of three types. Also implying thereby that both Sannyasa and Tyaga are one and the same. Following the Guna Traya Vibhaga Yoga, and the fact that nothing in the world is free from Gunas, the three types of Tyaga or Sannyasa are based on the intent of the doer, whether it is Sattvic, Rajasic or Tamasic.

||Sloka 5||

यज्ञदान तपः कर्म न त्याज्यं कार्यमेवतत् ।
यज्ञोदानं तपश्चैव पावनानि मनीषिणाम् ॥5||

स॥ यज्ञ दान तपः कर्म न त्याज्यं । (सा) कार्यं एव च। यज्ञः तपः दानं ( अफलाभिसक्त) मनीषिणाम् पावनानि ( भवन्ति)||5||

||Sloka meanings||

यज्ञ दान तपः कर्म न त्याज्यं -
Sacrifice, charity, and austerity are not to be given up.
(सा) कार्यं एव च- They should be performed
यज्ञः तपः दानं - Sacrifice, charity and austerity
मनीषिणाम् पावनानि एव- For wise men they are purifying .

||Sloka summary||

"Sacrifice, charity and austerity are not to be given up. They should be performed.
sacrifice, charity and austerity are purifying for the wise men." ||5||

That is यज्ञदान तपः कर्म, namely the worship charity and the austerities are, "न त्याज्यं", "not to be given up". Why they should not be given up is answered immediately. They should be performed as they lead to the purification of the person. But that action should be performed without attachment to fruits.

On occasions to emphasize a point Krishna states that this is my firm belief (निश्चितम् परममुत्तमम्) etc., Here, he states as his firm belief that the worship charity and austerity are to be performed without attachment to the fruits of action, and that this will lead to purification of the person too.

||Sloka 6||

एतान्यपि तु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलानि च।
कर्तव्यानीति मे पार्थ निश्चितं मतमुत्तमम् ॥6||

स॥ हे पार्थ! एतानि कर्माणि अपि सङ्गम् त्यक्त्वा फलानि च त्यक्त्वा कर्तव्यानि इति मे निश्चितम् उत्तमम् मतम्॥6||

||Sloka meanings||

एतानि कर्माणि अपि - even these actions
कर्तव्यानि इति - (are) to be undertaken
अपि सङ्गम् त्यक्त्वा फलानि च त्यक्त्वा - giving up attachment and giving up fruits
मे निश्चितम् उत्तमम् मतम्- this is my firm and best conclusion

||Sloka summary||

"O Partha, even these actions are to be undertaken, giving up attachment and giving up fruits.
this is my firm and best conclusion."||6||

This is affirmation of the previous statements. Sacrifice, Charity, and austerity are to be performed without the feeling of ownership. There is no scope for any doubt here.
||Sloka 7||

नियतस्य तु सन्न्यासः कर्मणो नोपपद्यते।
मोहात्तस्य परित्यागः तामसः परिकीर्तितः ॥7||

स॥ नियतस्य ( वेदोक्त) कर्मणः सन्न्यसः तु न उपपद्यते। मोहात् तस्य परिग्रहः तामसः ( तामसत्यागः) इति परिकीर्तितः॥7||

||Sloka meanings||
नियतस्य ( वेदोक्त) कर्मणः - of the ordained actions
सन्न्यसः तु न उपपद्यते- renunciation is not proper.
मोहात् तस्य परिग्रहः- giving up through ignorance
तामसत्यागः इति परिकीर्तितः- is declared to be the due to Tamasic Tyaga

||Sloka summary||

"Renunciation of the ordained actions is not proper. Giving up ordained actions through ignorance
is declared to be the due to Tamasic nature is declared as Tamasic Tyaga "||7||

In the previous Sloka Krishna firmly set aside the renunciation of Sacrifice, Charity and austerities and stated that they shall be performed without a feeling of ownership. Even apart from these (sacrifice, charity, and austerities), there are ordained actions. What is to be done about them? Krishna answers that clearly saying that giving up the ordained actions is Tamasic renunciation, such renunciation does not lead to liberation or Moksha.

||Sloka 8||

दुःखमित्येव यत्कर्म कायक्लेशभयात्त्यजेत्।
सकृत्वा राजसं त्यागं नैव त्यागफलं लभेत् ॥8||

स॥ यः यत् कर्म काय क्लेश भयात् दुःखं इति एव ( मत्वा) त्यजेत् , सः राजसम् त्यागं कृत्वा त्यागफलम् न लभेत् एव॥8||

||Sloka meanings||

यत् कर्म that action
काय क्लेश भयात् -for fear of physical suffering
दुःखं इति एव ( मत्वा) त्यजेत् - renounced thinking it is painful
सः राजसम् त्यागं कृत्वा - performing that renunciation due to Rajas
त्यागफलम् न लभेत् एव- will not attain the fruit of renunciation

||Sloka summary||

"The action which was renounced thinking it is painful, for fear of physical suffering, is due to Rajas.
Having performed renunciation due to rajas, one will not attain the fruits of actions." ||8||

If one renounces action, for fear of the pain in performing such action, such renouncement of action is called Rajasic Tyaga. It is equivalent to Tyaga performed so other may see and applaud. One will not attain the fruits of such renunciation. The point to be noted is that intent of renunciation is key.

||Sloka 9||

कार्यमित्येव यत्कर्म नियतं क्रियतेऽर्जुन।
सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलं चैव त्यागः सात्त्विकोमतः ॥9||

स॥ हे अर्जुन! नियतम् यत् कर्म कार्यं इति एव सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलं एव च त्यक्त्वा क्रियते सः त्यागः सात्त्विकः इति मतः॥9||

||Sloka meanings||

यत् नियतम् कर्म -that ordained action
कार्यं इति - thinking that it shall be done
सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा फलं एव च त्यक्त्वा क्रियते -
performs giving up attachment and fruits
सः त्यागः सात्त्विकः इति मतः-
that Tyaga is known as Sattvic Tyaga.

||Sloka summary||

"Thinking that the ordained action shall be done, and is performed giving up attachment and fruits,
that Tyaga (of attachment and fruits) is known as Sattvic Tyaga.
".||9||

This discourse started with Tamasic and Rajasic renunciations, which are not real renouncements, and which will not lead to liberation. Now the turn of real renouncement that leads to eternal peace and liberation comes. Renouncement of attachment and fruits is the key. That renunciation is Sattvic tyaga. One performing such Tyaga will attain peace and pure mind.

Such Sattvic Tyaga leads to Moksha.
||Sloka 10||

न द्वेष्ट्यकुशलं कर्म कुशलेनानुसज्जते।
त्यागी सत्त्वसमाविष्टो मेधावी छ्चिन्नसंशयः ॥10||

स॥ सत्त्व समाविष्टः मेधावी छिन्न संशयः त्यागी अकुशलम् कर्म नद्वेष्टि । कुशले (कर्मे) न अनुषज्जते ( अनासक्तः भवति)||10||

||Sloka meanings||

सत्त्व समाविष्टः मेधावी - The one with Sattvic nature and one who is enlightened,
छिन्न संशयः त्यागी - one who destroyed the doubts, a man of renunciation
अकुशलम् कर्म नद्वेष्टि - does not hate unbefitting action.
कुशले (कर्मे) न अनुषज्जते - nor become attached to befitting action

||Sloka summary||

"The one with Sattvic nature, one who is enlightened,
one who destroyed the doubts, one who is a man of renunciation
does not hate unbefitting action, nor become attached to befitting action."||10||

Here, Krishna is talking about a Sattvic person. 'सत्त्व समाविष्ठÓ means one imbued with Sattva. The Sattvic nature shows the way to peace and liberation. He has the necessary intellect. He is मेधावि.

The one imbued with Sattva and renouncing all attachments and fruits of action, is beyond all dualities. Thus the man of renunciation who has fully become imbued with Sattvic Tyaga, who is enlightened, who is freed from doubts, does not hate the action nor does he become attached to such action.

In these three Slokas we understand the import of Tyaga or Sannyasa. The Tamasic and Rajasic renunciation is based on ignorance or for purposes of show only. Thus it will not lead to liberation. The Sattvic Tyga or Sannyasa lead to peace and liberation.
||Sloka 11||

नहि देहभृता शक्यं त्यक्तुं कर्माण्यशेषतः।
यस्तु कर्मफलत्यागी स त्यागीत्यभिदीयते ॥11||

स॥ कर्माणि अशेषतः ( संपूर्णरूपेण) त्यक्तुम् देहभृता न शक्यं हि । यः तु कर्म फल त्यागी ( भवति) सः त्यागी इति अभिदीयते॥11||

||Sloka meanings||

कर्माणि अशेषतः त्यक्तुम् - Giving up all action in totality
देहभृता न शक्यं हि- not possible for embodied man .
यः तु कर्म फल त्यागी - whoever can renounce the fruits of action
स त्यागीत्यभिदीयते - such a one is called renouncer or Tyagi

||Sloka summary||

"Giving up all action in totality is not possible for embodied man.
Whoever can renounce the fruits of action such a one is called renouncer or Tyagi." ||11||

The statement 'not possible for embodied man', is only to extol the virtue (in this case renunciation) which is spoken of as difficult. This is echoing the line 'न हि कश्चित् क्षणमपि' (3.05).

For the embodied one, the best course of action is renunciation of fruits of action and attachments. Then, only he is called a renouncer or Tyagi.

||Sloka 12||

अनिष्टमिष्टं मिश्रं च त्रिविधः कर्मणः फलम्।
भवत्यत्यागिनां प्रेत्य न तु सन्न्यासिनां क्वचित् ॥12||

स॥ अनिष्टं इष्टम् मिश्रं च त्रिविधं कर्मणः फलम् अत्यागिनाम् प्रेत्य भवति ।( कर्मफलत्यागिनां) सन्न्यासिनां तु क्वचित् न॥12||

||Sloka meanings||

अनिष्टं इष्टम् मिश्रं च - disagreeable, agreeable, and mixed
त्रिविधं कर्मणः फलम् - fruits of action are three types.
अत्यागिनाम् - for those who have not renounced
प्रेत्य भवति - ( fruits of action) accrue after death .
सन्न्यासिनां तु क्वचित् न - for renouncers never get that

||Sloka summary||

"Fruits of action are three types. Disagreeable, agreeable, and mixed.
They accrue after death for those who have not renounced.
but never for renouncers." ||12||

All these results lead to a life, bound by birth and death cycle. All such people are the unenlightened persons

In the previous Sloka, having defined Tyagi, the real renouncer, in this Sloka Krishna restates that the renouncer does not get the agreeable, disagreeable, and mixed fruits of action because he renounced the same.

The other import of this sloka is that fruits of action may be agreeable for a limited time or disagreeable or mixed. They do not offer permanency of peace.

Attained after death is meant to refer to the hell or heaven which are temporary before one is reborn to renew his search. For the renouncer there is no rebirth as he attains liberation.

||Sloka 13||

पञ्चैतानि महाबाहो कारणानि निबोधमे।
साङ्ख्ये कृतान्ते प्रोक्तानि सिद्धये सर्वकर्मणाम् ॥13||

स॥ हे महाबाहो ! सर्वकर्मणां सिद्धये कृतान्ते सांख्ये प्रोक्तानि एतानि पञ्चकारणानि मे वचनात् निबोध॥13||

||Sloka meanings||
महाबाहो - mighty armed one
सर्वकर्मणां सिद्धये - for accomplishment of all actions
सांख्ये कृतान्ते प्रोक्तानि - spoken of by the scriptures on termination of all actions
एतानि पञ्चकारणानि - these five causes
मे वचनात् निबोध- know them from my words

||Sloka summary||

"O mighty armed one, know from my words the five causes for the accomplishment of action, spoken of by the Samkhya scriptures on termination of all actions."||13||

'सांख्ये कृतांते' in the science of Samkhya that elucidates end of all action is Vedanta. In the chapter 2 saying,"यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः संप्लुतोदके "(2.46), and "सर्वं कर्माखिलं पार्थ ज्ञाने परिसमाप्यते" (4.33) refer to the Self Knowledge that terminates all actions. In the end all action terminates in the knowledge.

The five causes that promote accomplishment of actions are elucidated in Samkhya Yoga.

||Sloka 14||

अधिष्टानं तथा कर्ता करणं च पृथग्विधम् ।
विविधाश्च पृथक्चेष्टा दैवं चैवात्र पञ्चमम् ॥14||

स॥ अत्र अधिष्टानम् तथा कर्ता पृथक् विधं करणं च विविधाः चेष्टाः( क्रियाः) च पञ्चमम् दैवं च ( कारणानि भवन्ति)||14||

||Sloka meanings||

अत्र - in this ( process of action)
अधिष्टानम् - the body
तथा कर्ता - similarly the agent or doer
पृथक् विधं करणं च - different kinds of organs
च विविधाः चेष्टाःच - also different distinct activities
पञ्चमम् दैवं च - the fifth divine too

||Sloka summary||

"These are the body, similarly the agent or doer, different kinds of organs, also different distinct activities
and the fifth divine too."||15||

अधिष्टानं - means the basis for the manifestation of all likes, dislikes, awareness etc. That is simply the body.

करणं - the implements of action, namely organs, which are twelve namely five sense organs, five motor organs, mind and intellect.

Karta- the doer is identified with the five uncompounded great elements, ahankara (ego), antahkarana (internal organ), buddhi (intellect), and Vijnyana (understanding).

The causes include Divine, in the form of merits and demerits of past life.

||Sloka 15||

शरीरवाङ्मनोभिर्यत् कर्म प्रारभते नरः।
न्यायं वा विपरीतं वा पञ्चैते तस्य हेतवः ॥15||

स॥ नरः शरीरवाङ्मनोभिः न्यायं वा विपरीतं वा यत् कर्म प्रारभते तस्य एते पञ्च हेतवः (अस्ति)||15||

||Sloka meanings||

नरः शरीरवाङ्मनोभिः - man with his body speech and mind
न्यायं वा विपरीतं वा - righteous or unrighteous
यत् कर्म प्रारभते - that action which is started
एते पञ्च हेतवः - these five are causes.

||Sloka summary||

"These five are the causes for the righteous or unrighteous action which is started by the man
with his body speech and mind." ||15||

Whatever good or bad action is started by a man, these five remain the causes.

Whatever action a man does these five remain the causes. If anyone who owing to the imperfections of his intellect sees the self as the agent, then he does not see the reality, and thus has polluted intellect दुर्मतिः. On the other hand the one who has no ego he does not kill, nor does he become bound even by killing.

The point highlighted here is that:

In the absence of egoistic feelings of embodied existence, the Sannyasins can and will renounce all actions generated by avidya or ignorance. It is therefore right to say that the three-fold fruit of action namely " evil, good, and mixed" does not accrue to the Sannyasins. Further conclusion is also inevitable that reverse is the case for the others who not sannyasins. That means that all others will accrue "evil, good or mixed" results resulting in their continued suffering. This in effect is the essence of Gita.

||Sloka 16||

तत्रैवं सति कर्तारं आत्मानं केवलं तु यः।
पश्यत्यकृत बुद्धित्वान् न स पश्यति दुर्मतिः ॥16||

स॥ तत्र एवं सति यः अकृत बुद्धित्वात् केवलं आत्मानं तु कर्तारम् पश्यति सः दुर्मतिः ( आत्म स्वरूपं वा कर्म स्वरूपं) न पश्यति॥16||

||Sloka meanings||

तत्र एवं सति - that being the case
यः अकृत बुद्धित्वात् - whoever due to imperfect intellect
केवलं आत्मानं तु कर्तारम् पश्यति - sees himself only as the doer or agent
सः दुर्मतिः - that imperfect man
न पश्यति- does not see the Self.

||Sloka summary ||

"that being the case, whoever due to imperfect intellect
sees Self only as the doer or agent,
that imperfect man does not see the Self". ||16||

So, there are five causes for the initiation of action. They are body, doer or agent, the different organs, the different actions, and the divine. Not realizing that the one who thinks he with the body is the doer, does not see the Self. It means that he has not understood the full nature of the Self because he has not understood the scriptures.

||Sloka 17||

यस्य नाहङ्कृतो भावो बुद्धिर्यस्य न लिप्यते।
हत्वाऽपि स इमांल्लोकान् न हन्ति न निबध्यते ॥17||

स॥ यस्य अहं कृतः भावः न ( भवति) , यस्य बुद्धिः ( कर्मणां) न लिप्यते सः इमान् लोकान् हत्वा अपि न हन्ति । सः (कर्मात् ) न निबध्यते ॥17||

||Sloka meanings||

यस्य अहं कृतः भावः न- whoever does not have the feeling of ego
यस्य बुद्धिः ( कर्मणां) न लिप्यते - whose intellect is not tainted
सः इमान् लोकान् हत्वा अपि न हन्ति -
such one does not kill even if he kills the creatures
सः (कर्मात् ) न निबध्यते - he does not become bound
.

||Sloka summary ||

"Whoever does not have the feeling of ego
whose intellect is not tainted; such one does not kill even if he kills the creatures.
He does not become bound."||17||

This is Samkhya we heard in chapter two. One who realizes that Self is not the agent, that he is not the doer, thus being free from ego, he is not bound by the actions. He is free of agent ship or feeling of being the doer. The one free of agent ship sees the same Self in all beings. For him killing does not occur. He is beyond the results of action. This was said in the earlier Sloka (18.12). This is also the conclusion of the thoughts that originated in the Samkhya Yoga.

It is very interesting to read what Shankara has written in this regard in his Bhashyam.

नायं हंति न हन्यते इति प्रतिज्ञाय
-having stated "He slays not nor is he slain (2.19)
नजायते इति हेतुवचनेन अविक्रियत्व आत्मनः उक्त्वा
- saying Self is not born nor does it die (2.19) and establishing Self as immutable
वेद अविनाशिनं इति विदुषः कर्माधिकार निवृत्तिं शास्त्रादौ संक्षेपतः उक्त्वा
- saying the one who knows Him cannot kill etc, thus making him free of action (bondage)
तत्र तत्र प्रसंगं कृत्वा
-bringing up the topic at places and expounding the same
इह संहरति शास्त्रार्थ पिंडीकरणाय "विद्वान् न हंति न निबध्यते" इति
- here it is being concluded that a wiseman "kills not nor is bound"

This is at once a sweep across Gita bringing to conclusion a topic started in the second Chapter.
This is a summary of Karma Yoga and an important summary as stated by Shankaracharya.

Then Krishna continues with three inducements for action.

||Sloka 18||

ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं परिज्ञाता त्रिविधा कर्म चोदना।
करणं कर्म कर्तेति त्रिविधः कर्मसङ्ग्रहः ॥18||

स॥ कर्म चोदना ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं परिज्ञाता इति त्रिविधा । कर्म संग्रहः करणम् कर्म कर्त इति त्रिविधः॥18||

||Sloka meanings||

कर्म चोदना - the inducements for action
ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं परिज्ञाता - knowledge, the one to be known with the knowledge, the one who knows
इति त्रिविधा - these are three fold
कर्म संग्रहः - the summary of action
करणम् कर्म कर्त - instrument of action, the action, and the doer of action
इति त्रिविधः- these are three fold

||Sloka summary ||

"The inducements for action are threefold, knowledge, the one to be known with the knowledge, the one who knows.
Instrument of action, the action, and the doer of action, constitute the three-fold the summary of action."||18||

The inducement for action is three-fold. These three inducements are also differentiated by the Gunas namely Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic. The act or action is summarized by three aspects. These are the action itself, the instrument of action and the doer of action.

||Sloka 19||

ज्ञानं कर्म च कर्ता च त्रिधैव गुणभेदतः।
प्रोच्यते गुणसङ्ख्याने यथावत् शृणुतान्यपि ॥19||

स॥ गुणसंख्याने ज्ञानम् कर्म च कर्ता च गुणभेदतः त्रिधा एव प्रोच्यते । तानि अपि यथावत् शृणु॥19||

||Sloka meanings||

गुणसंख्याने- In the scripture dealing with Gunas
ज्ञानम् कर्म च कर्ता च - knowledge, action and agent
गुणभेदतः त्रिधा एव प्रोच्यते - three kinds based on the differences of Gunas
तानि अपि यथावत् शृणु- hear about them as they are

||Sloka summary ||

"In the scripture dealing with Gunas, knowledge, action and agent are of three kinds, based on the differences of Gunas.
Hear about them as they are."||19||

The three-fold nature of Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic nature affects everything. So the knowledge, action, and the agent, the three inducements for action, too are of three kinds. Krishna elaborates on them.

||Sloka 20||

सर्वभूतेषु यैनैकं भावमव्ययमीक्षते।
अविभक्तं विभक्तेषु तत् ज्ञानं विद्धि सात्त्विकम् ॥20||

स॥ विभक्तेषु सर्वभूतेषु एकम् अव्ययम् भावम् येन अविभक्तम् ईक्षते तत् ज्ञानम् सात्विकम् विद्धि॥20||

||Sloka meanings||

विभक्तेषु सर्वभूतेषु एकम् - the one ( that is) in all the diversified things
अव्ययम् भावम् - the immutable entity being free from all transformations
येन अविभक्तम् ईक्षते - by which one sees that as undivided
तत् ज्ञानम् सात्विकम् विद्धि- know that knowledge as Sattvic

||Sloka summary ||

"The knowledge, by which one sees in all the diversified and divided things,
the one undivided immutable entity being free from all transformations,
know that knowledge as Sattvic". ||20||

For the ignorant the world is seen as full of diverse divided beings. The learned man seeing the same Self in all beings sees the unity of Brahman in all beings. The one who sees one common thing in all divided diverse beings is the learned man.

The ignorant cannot see the same Self in all beings.
The knowledge that enables one the Self in all is called Sattvic knowledge.
.
||Sloka 21||

पृथक्त्वेनतु यज्ञानं नानाभावान्पृथग्विधान्।
वेत्ति सर्वेषु भूतेषु तत् ज्ञानं विद्धि राजसम् ॥21||

स॥ यत् ज्ञानं सर्वेषु भूतेषु पृथक् विधान् नानाभावान् पृथक्त्वेनतु वेत्ति तत् ज्ञानं राजसम् विद्धि॥21||

||Sloka meanings||

यत् ज्ञानं - that knowledge by which
सर्वेषु भूतेषु - among all creatures
पृथक्त्वेनतु नानाभावान्- different divergent entities
पृथक् विधान् वेत्ति - understood as different ( from Self )
तत् ज्ञानं राजसम् विद्धि- know that knowledge as Rajasic

||Sloka summary ||

"That knowledge by which different divergent entities among all creatures,
are understood as different from Self, know that knowledge as Rajasic." ||21||

The knowledge that cannot see same Self in all beings, that cannot see unity in the diversity of the universe, is Rajasic knowledge. That knowledge cannot realize true Self or the Supreme being. That Rajasic knowledge does not lead to liberation.

||Sloka 22||

यत्तु कृत्स्नवदेकस्मिन् कार्येसक्तमहैतुकम्।
अतत्त्वार्थवदल्पं च तत्तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥22||

स॥ यत् तु एकस्मिन् कार्ये कृत्स्नवत् सक्तम् अहैतुकम् अतत्त्वार्थवत् अल्पं च तत् ज्ञानं तामसं उदाहृतम्॥ 22||

||Sloka meanings||

यत् तु - that knowledge
एकस्मिन् कार्ये कृत्स्नवत् सक्तम् - confined to one single work as though it is the whole
अहैतुकम्- without any reason
अतत्त्वार्थवत् - without understanding the essence of it
अल्पं च - trivial too
तत् ज्ञानं तामसं उदाहृतम्-
that knowledge is said to be Tamasic

||Sloka summary ||

"That knowledge which without any reason, confined to one single work as though it is the whole, without understanding the essence of it, and is trivial too, that knowledge is said to be Tamasic."||22||

That Supreme being is an image or that the body is the Self, that what they know is all that is there to know, the people of that thinking are of Tamasic nature. There are no reasons for their beliefs. There is no relationship with the truth. Their knowledge or that knowledge which is confined to one without understanding the essence of it is known as Tamasic knowledge. That Tamasic knowledge does not lead to knowledge of the one to be known, namely the Supreme being. That Tamasic knowledge does not lead to liberation of Moksha.

||Sloka 23||

नियतं सङ्गरहितम् अरागद्वेषतः कृतम्।
अफलप्रेप्सुना कर्मयत् तत् सात्त्विकमुच्यते ॥23||

स॥ नियतम् यत् कर्म अफलप्रेप्सुना सङ्गरहितम् अरागद्वेषतः कृतम् तत् सात्विकम् कर्म इति उच्यते॥23||

||Sloka meanings||

नियतम् यत् कर्म- the action that was ordained in scriptures
अफलप्रेप्सुना - by the one who is devoid of desire
सङ्गरहितम् - devoid of attachment
अरागद्वेषतः कृतम् - performed by one devoid of desire and enmity
तत् सात्विकम् कर्म इति उच्यते-
that action is said to be Sattvikam.

||Sloka summary||

" The action, that was ordained in scriptures, by the one who is devoid of desire,
who is devoid of attachment, performed by one devoid of desire and enmity,
that action is said to be Sattvikam.

".||23||

The action that is ordained to be done as well as the action that needs to be done, performed without seeking fruits, without ego or attachments is said to be Sattvic action. The giving up of fruits of that action is Tyaga. Such tyaga leads to liberation.

||Sloka 24||

यत्तुकामेप्सुना कर्म साहङ्कारेण वा पुनः।
क्रियते बहुळायासं तत् राजसमुदाहृतम् ॥24||

स॥ कामेप्सुना पुनः साहंकारेण वा बहुळायासं यत् कर्म तु क्रियते तत् कर्म राजसम् उदाहृतम्॥24||

||Sloka meanings||

कामेप्सुना - one who is interested in the fruits of action
पुनः साहंकारेण वा - also by one with ego,
बहुळायासं- with strenuous efforts
यत् कर्म तु क्रियते - the action that was performed
तत् कर्म राजसम् उदाहृतम्-
that action is said to be Rajasic

||Sloka summary||
"The action that was performed with strenuous efforts, by one who is interested in the fruits of action
or also by one with ego, that action is said to be Rajasic." ||24||

The action performed with ego, or with interest in fruits does not result in freedom from bondage. There may be lot of effort in performing that action. What is left would only be the strain with no results.

||Sloka 25||

अनुबन्धं क्षयं हिंसा मनपेक्ष्य च पौरुषम्।
मोहादारभ्यते कर्म यत् तत् तामसमुच्यते ॥25||

स॥ अनुबन्धम् क्षयम् हिंसां पौरुषं अनपेक्ष्य मोहात् यत् कर्म आरभ्यते
तत् तामसं उच्यते॥25||

||Sloka meanings||

यत् कर्म - That action
अनुबन्धम् क्षयम् हिंसां पौरुषं - the consequence, loss, harm, and ability
अनपेक्ष्य - without consideration of
मोहात् आरभ्यते - undertaken out of delusion
तत् तामसं उच्यते- that action is said to be Tamasic

||Sloka summary||

"The action, undertaken out of delusion without consideration of the consequence, loss, harm, and ability,
that action is said to be Tamasic." ||25||

Action undertaken without considering the consequences resulting in harm for others etc is Tamasic action.

The three-fold nature of action is summarized here.
Krishna says,
- an action which is ordained, and which is free from attachment which is done without love or hate by one who is not desirous of fruits of that action is called Sattvic action".
- action which is done by one longing for pleasures, or an action done by egoistic person is Rajasic action, even though he may have taken lot of trouble in performing that action.
- action, which is undertaken from delusion without regard to consequences, that action is declared to be Tamasic.

||Sloka 26||

मुक्तसङ्गोऽनहं वादी धृत्साहसमन्वितः।
सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योर्निविकारः कर्ता सात्त्विक मुच्यते ॥26||

स॥ मुक्त सङ्गः अनहं वादी धृति उत्साह समन्वितः सिद्ध्यसिद्धोः निर्विकारः कर्ता सात्विकः कर्ता इति उच्यते॥26||

||Sloka meanings||

मुक्त सङ्गः - one who is free of attachment
अनहं वादी - one who is free from ego
धृति उत्साह समन्वितः - one who is full of fortitude and diligence
सिद्ध्यसिद्धोः निर्विकारः - unperturbed by success or failure
कर्ता सात्विकः कर्ता इति उच्यते - such doer or agent is said to be Sattvic

||Sloka summary||

"One who is free of attachment, one who is free from ego, one who is full of fortitude and diligence
one who is unperturbed by success or failure, such doer or agent is said to be Sattvic."||26||

Only a Sattvic agent can perform Sattvic tyaga.

||Sloka 27||

रागी कर्म फलप्रेप्सुः लुब्धो हिंसात्मकोऽशुचिः।
हर्षशोकान्वितः कर्ता राजसः परिकीर्तितः ॥27||

स॥ रागी कर्मफलप्रेप्सुः लुब्धः हिंसात्मकः अशुचिः हर्षशोकान्वितः कर्ता राजसः कर्ता इति परिकीर्तितः॥27||

||Sloka meanings||

रागी कर्मफलप्रेप्सुः - one who has attachment , who is desirous of fruits of action
लुब्धः हिंसात्मकः अशुचिः - covetous, violent by nature, unclean
हर्षशोकान्वितः- one who is subject to bouts of joy and sorrow
कर्ता राजसः कर्ता इति परिकीर्तितः-
such doer is said to be Rajasic doer/agent.

||Sloka summary||

"One who has attachment , who is desirous of fruits of action, one who is covetous, violent by nature, unclean by nature, and one who is subject to bouts of joy and sorrow, such a doer is said to be Rajasic doer/agent."||27||

One who has attachments, desirous of fruits, and falls prey to the pain pleasures of life is said to be Rajasic agent.

Rajasic agent is only capable of Rajasic tyaga.

Rajasic agent does not lead to liberation.

||Sloka 28||

अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः शठो नैष्कृतिकोऽलसः।
विषादी दीर्घसूत्री च कर्ता तामस उच्यते ॥28||

स॥ अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः शठः नैष्कृतिकः आलसः विषादी दीर्घसूत्री च कर्ता तामस कर्ता इति उच्यते॥28||

||Sloka meanings||

अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः - one without control, naive and unbending
शठः नैष्कृतिकः आलसः - deceitful, wicked, lazy
विषादी दीर्घसूत्री च - morose, procrastinator
कर्ता तामस कर्ता इति उच्यते- such agent is called Tamasic agent

||Sloka summary||

"One without control , naive and unbending deceitful, wicked, lazy, morose, procrastinator
such agent is said to be Tamasic agent."||28||

The Tyaga performed by a Tamasic agent can only be Tamasic Tyaga.

||Sloka 29||

बुद्धेर्भेदं धृतेश्चैव गुणतः त्रिविधं शृणु।
प्रोच्यमानमशेषेण पृथक्त्वेन धनञ्जय ॥29||

स॥हे धनंजय ! बुद्धेः धृतेः च एव भेदम् गुणतः त्रिविधम् पृथक्त्वेन अशेषेण ( संपूर्ण स्वरूपेन) प्रोच्यमानम् शृणु॥29||

||Sloka meanings||

बुद्धेः धृतेः च एव भेदम् - the classification of intellect and fortitude
गुणतः त्रिविधम् - based on Gunas is threefold
पृथक्त्वेन अशेषेण प्रोच्यमानम् - separately and elaborately is being stated
.

||Sloka summary||

"O Dhananjaya, the classification of intellect and fortitude based on Gunas is threefold.
It is separately and elaborately stated." ||29||

The intellect and fortitude are also of three types based on the three-fold nature of Gunas.
.
||Sloka 30||

प्रवृत्तिंच निवृत्तिंच कार्याकार्ये भयाभये।
बन्धं मोक्षं च या वेत्ति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी ॥30||

स॥हे पार्थ। या बुद्धेः प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं च कार्या कार्ये भया भये बंधम् मोक्षं च वेत्ति सा बुद्धि सात्विकी ॥30||

||Sloka meanings||

या बुद्धेः वेत्ति - that intellect which knows
प्रवृत्तिं च निवृत्तिं - action and withdrawal
कार्या कार्ये - action to be done and not to be done
भया भये - fear and fearlessness
बंधम् मोक्षं च वेत्ति - bondage and freedom
सा बुद्धि सात्विकी - that intellect is Sattvic

||Sloka summary||

"O Partha, that intellect which knows action and withdrawal, action to be done and not to be done,
fear and fearlessness, that intellect is Sattvic."||30||

Action and withdrawal refer to ability to go in the direction of righteous action and withdrawing from unrighteous action. Action to be done and not done refers to the ability to assess the good and bad and have the ability to turn away from the bad. Such intellect is Sattvic. Knowing fear and fearlessness hints to understanding the fearful world of Samsara or objects and ability to follow the Supreme being who provides fearlessness.

The Sattvic intellect allows one to perform Sattvic actions and also Sattvic tyaga.

||Sloka 31||

यया धर्ममधर्मं च कार्यं च अकार्यमेव च।
अयथावत्प्रजानाति बुद्धिः सा पार्थ राजसी ॥31||

स॥हे पार्थ ! यया धर्मं अधर्मं च कार्यं च अकार्यमेव च अ यथावत् प्रजानाति साबुद्धिः राजसी॥31||

||Sloka meanings||

यया धर्मं अधर्मं च - by which intellect righteous and unrighteousness,
कार्यं च अकार्यमेव - that which is ought to be done and not done
अ यथावत् प्रजानाति - are understood wrongly
साबुद्धिः राजसी - that intellect is Rajasic

||Sloka summary||

" O Partha, by which intellect, righteous and unrighteousness, that which is ought to be done and not done,
are understood wrongly that intellect is Rajasic." ||31||

One whose intellect arrives at the right or wrong, without proper reasoning or following his own reasoning is called Rajasic intellect.

Here the word 'अयथावत्' is used. It means, 'not as they are'. Righteous and unrighteous are not seen as they are, but in a different light. This could be by mistake or by ignorance or with ego thinking himself to be knowledgeable. Whatever be the reason, that unrighteous action is to be rejected. Acting without discrimination is Rajasic.

||Sloka 32||

अधर्मं धर्ममिति या मन्यते तमसाऽऽवृता।
सर्वार्थान् विपरीतांश्च बुद्धिः सा पार्थ तामसी ॥32||

स॥ हे पार्थ ! या बुद्धि तमसा आवृता अधर्मं धर्मं इति सर्वार्थान् विपरीतान् च मन्यते सा बुद्धिः तामसी ॥32||

||Sloka meanings||

या बुद्धि तमसा आवृता - by which intellect covered by ignorance
अधर्मं धर्मं इति - unrighteous as righteous
सर्वार्थान् विपरीतान् च मन्यते - perceives all things as contrary
सा बुद्धिः तामसी - that intellect is Tamasic

||Sloka summary||

"O Partha, the intellect, which is covered by ignorance,
which considers unrighteous as righteous, perceives all things as contrary, is Tamasic." ||32||

The Tamasic intellect leads to Tamasic actions.

||Sloka 33||

धृत्या यया धारयते मनः प्राणेन्द्रियक्रियाः।
योगेनाव्यभिचारिण्या धृतिः सा पार्थ सात्त्विकी ॥33||

स॥ हे पार्थ! अव्यभिचारिण्या यया धृत्या (युक्तः) मनः प्राणेन्द्रिय क्रियाः योगेनधारयते साधृतिः सात्विकी धृतिः॥33||

||Sloka meanings||
पार्थ - O Partha
अव्यभिचारिण्या यया धृत्या - that unwavering fortitude with which
योगेन धारयते - maintains with concentration
मनः प्राणेन्द्रिय क्रियाः - the functions of mind, vital breath and the senses
साधृतिः सात्विकी धृतिः- that fortitude is Sattvic .

||Sloka summary||

"O Partha, that unwavering fortitude with which one maintains with concentration, the functions of mind, vital breath, and the senses, that fortitude is Sattvic ".||33||

"योगेन", means with single minded focus or concentration, controlling the mind and all other sense organs.

Here the fortitude of persons who act with their mind and other sense organs under their control. This brings to mind the Satyagrahis, who had the control to resist the violence without raising their hand. That is the Sattvic fortitude.

||Sloka 34||

ययातु धर्मकामार्थान् धृत्या धारयतेऽर्जुन।
प्रसङ्गेन फलाकांक्षी धृतिः सा पार्थ राजसी ॥34||

स॥ हे पार्थ यया धृत्या तु फलाकांक्षी धर्म कामार्थान् प्रसङ्गेन धारयते सा धृतिः (विद्धि) राजसी॥34||

||Sloka meanings||

यया धृत्या तु फलाकांक्षी - that fortitude , with which one desirous of fruits
धर्म कामार्थान् - righteousness, objects of desire, and wealth
प्रसङ्गेन धारयते - with intense attachment holds on
सा धृतिः (विद्धि) राजसी- know that fortitude is Rajasic .

||Sloka summary||

"O Partha, that fortitude, with which one desirous of fruits,
righteousness, objects of desire, and wealth, holds on with intense attachment,
know that fortitude as Rajasic." ||34||

The man living in this world of objects (संसार सागरं), instead of following all the four objects of life namely righteousness, objects of desire, wealth, liberation, focusses his effort on the first three namely righteousness, objects of desire, wealth. They have no desire for liberation. The fortitude with which they pursue only the three objects excluding liberation, is Rajasic fortitude.
||Sloka 35||

यया स्वप्नं भयं शोकं विषादं मदमेव च।
न विमुञ्चति दुर्मेधा धृतिः सा पार्थ तामसी ॥35||

स॥ हे पार्थ यया दुर्मेधाः स्वप्नं भयम् शोकम् विषादम् मदं एव च न विमुञ्चति साधृतिः (विद्धि ) तामसी॥35||

||Sloka meanings||

यया दुर्मेधाः - with which fortitude the one who is incapable of discrimination
स्वप्नं भयम् शोकम् - dreams, fear , sorrow
विषादम् मदं एव च - despondency, and indulgence
न विमुञ्चति - clings to
सा धृतिः (विद्धि ) तामसी- that fortitude is Tamasic fortitude

||Sloka summary||

" O Partha, with which fortitude the one who is incapable of discrimination
clings to dreams, fear, sorrow, despondency, and indulgence, that fortitude is Tamasic." ||35||

Fortitude is divine attribute. Used along with implementation of ordained actions it is Sattvic attribute. But the same fortitude used adamantly in a wrong way becomes useless effort. That fortitude used on wrong objects is Tamasic.

||Sloka 36||

सुखं त्विदानीं त्रिविधं शृणुमे भरतर्षभ।
अभ्यासाद्रमते यत्र दुःखान्तं च निगच्छति ॥36||

स॥ हे भरतर्षभ ! यत्र अभ्यासात् रमते दुःखान्तं च निगच्छति सुखम् तु इदानीम् त्रिविधम् मे वचनात् शृणु॥36||

||Sloka meanings||
भरतर्षभ - o best of Bharatas
यत्र अभ्यासात् रमते - That in which one delights through practice
दुःखान्तं च निगच्छति - reaching the end of sorrow too
सुखम् तु - that pleasure
इदानीम् त्रिविधम् - is threefold
मे वचनात् शृणु- hear from my words

||Sloka summary||

"O best of Bharatas, hear my words.
That pleasure in which one delights through practice reaching the end of sorrow too, is of three kinds." ||36||

Pleasure also is variegated based on Gunas.

||Sloka 37||

यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम्।
तत् सुखं सात्त्विकं प्रोक्तं आत्मबुद्धि प्रसादजम् ॥37||

स॥ यत् तत् अग्रे विषमिव परिणामे अमृतोपमम् आत्मबुद्धि प्रसादजम् तत् सुखं सात्त्विकंप्रोक्तम्॥37||

||Sloka meanings||

यत् तत् अग्रे विषमिव - that which is like a poison in the beginning
परिणामे अमृतोपमम् - like nectar in the end
आत्मबुद्धि प्रसादजम् - arising out of clarity of ones intellect
तत् सुखं सात्त्विकंप्रोक्तम्- that pleasure is spoken of as Sattvic

||Sloka summary||

"That which is like a poison in the beginning and like nectar in the end, that pleasure arising out of clarity of ones intellect is spoken of as Sattvic." ||37||

The spiritual thinking or enquiry is indeed difficult in the beginning. But the same gives pleasure like nectar. This is also the truth in many fields. The initial effort in many instances is hard, while the success in the end is a great pleasure. That is the symbol of Sattvic pleasure.

||Sloka 38||

विषयेन्द्रिय संयोगात् यत्त दग्रेऽमृतोपमम्।
परिणामे विषमिव तत् सुखं राजसं स्मृतं ॥38||

स॥ यत् तत् विषयेन्द्रिय संयोगात् अग्रे अमृतोपमम् परिणामे विषम् इव भवति तत् सुखम् राजसम् स्मृतम्॥38||

||Sloka meanings||

यत् तत् विषयेन्द्रिय संयोगात् - that which because of contact of organs with objects
अग्रे अमृतोपमम् परिणामे विषम् - is nectar like in the beginning and like poison in the end
तत् सुखम् राजसम् स्मृतम्- that pleasure is knows as Rajasic pleasure

||Sloka summary||

"Rajasic pleasure is known as that which is nectar like in the beginning and like poison in the end, because of contact of organs with objects." ||38||

The pleasure arising out of the contact of sense organs with objects causing delight is only temporary. That nectar of temporary pleasure has poison pills. Only when those poison pills are destroyed, by rejecting that nectar generated out of the contact of organs with objects, one will achieve true pleasure.

||Sloka 39||

यदग्रे चानुबन्दे च सुखं मोहनमात्मनः।
निद्रालस्य प्रमादोत्थं तत् तामसमुदाहृतम् ॥39||

स॥ निद्र आलस्य परामादोत्थम् यत् सुखम् अग्रेच अनुबन्धे च आत्मनः मोहनम् ( करोति) तत् तामसम् उदाहृतम्॥39||

||Sloka meanings||

निद्र आलस्य परामादोत्थम्- born of sleep sloth and error
यत् सुखम् अग्रेच अनुबन्धे च - that pleasure which is in the beginning as well as in the end
आत्मनः मोहनम् - deludes one self
तत् तामसम् उदाहृतम्- that is said to be Tamasic .

||Sloka summary||

"That pleasure is said to be Tamasic which is in the beginning as well as in the end
deludes one self, which is born of sleep, sloth, and error."||39||

Tamasic pleasures lead to a Tamasic doer performing Tamasic tyaga.
All of which are far away from the path of liberation.

||Sloka 40||

न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वापुनः।
सत्त्वं प्रकृतिजैर्मुक्तं यदेभिस्स्यात्रिभिर्गुणैः ॥40||

स॥ प्रकृतिजैः एभिः त्रिभिः गुणैः मुक्तम् सत्त्वम् यत् स्यात् तत पृथिव्यां वा पुनः दिवि देवेषु न अस्ति॥ 40||

||Sloka meanings||

न तत् अस्ति सत्त्वम् - there is no such entity
प्रकृतिजैः - born of Prakruti
यत् त्रिभिः गुणैः मुक्तम् - that is free of the three Gunas
पृथिव्यां वा पुनः दिवि देवेषु - in this world, in heavens or again among gods

||Sloka summary||

"There is no such entity born of Prakruti that is free of the three Gunas
in this world, in heavens or again among gods." ||40||

We have seen many entities starting from Tyaga which have been divided by the three Gunas.

Here, Krishna concludes the discussion of the three Gunas saying that there is nothing in the three worlds that is not affected by the three Gunas.

This is summation of what has been started in the fourteenth Chapter as Guna Traya Vibhaga Yoga- The summary being that the entire creation is made up of Gunas namely Sattva, Rajo and Tamas. It is also characterized by the action, instrument of action and the result. And it is set up by ignorance. This Samsara is bound by three Gunas and set up by ignorance. It is imagined in the form of a Asvattha tree and can only be overcome by cutting it asunder with the sword of detachment to reach the Supreme being (15.1 to 15.4).

But if everything is made up three Gunas how would one break this bond, how would one get the sword of detachment would be a legitimate concern. This sword of detachment is obtained from the Supreme God through one's own performance in his own duties assigned according to one's own abilities.

It is in this context Krishna brings up the topic of duties of the four castes.

||Sloka 41||

ब्राह्मण क्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परन्तप।
कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभाव प्रभवैर्गुणैः ॥41||

स॥ हे परन्तप! ब्राह्मण क्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च कर्माणि स्वभावप्रभवैः गुणैः प्रविभक्तानि॥

॥Sloka meanings||

ब्राह्मण क्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च कर्माणि- the duties of Brahmanas, Kshatriyas , Vaishyas and also Sudras

स्वभावप्रभवैः गुणैः प्रविभक्तानि - fully classified by Gunas which are the source of their nature

||Sloka summary||

"O Scourge of foes, the duties of Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and also Sudras
are fully classified by Gunas which are the source of their nature." ||41||

The duties have been fully classified by Gunas which are the source of their nature. This is not connected with birth. The man who can control his nature can also change his nature and thereby Gunas too.

Krishna makes it clear that this division of duties is based on the Gunas controlling that person. The source of disposition of Brahmanas is Sattva Guna. the Source of disposition of Kshatriya is Rajas with Sattva playing a secondary role. The source of disposition of Vaishya is Rajas with Tamas playing a secondary Role and in Sudra the source of disposition is Tamo Guna with Rajas playing a secondary role.

||Sloka 42||

शमो दमः तपः शौचं क्षान्तिरार्जवमेव च ।
ज्ञानं विज्ञानमास्तिक्यं ब्राह्मं कर्म स्वभावजम् ॥42||

स॥ शमः दमः तपः शौचम् क्षान्तिः आर्जवम् एव च ज्ञानं विज्ञानमास्तिक्यं स्वभावजम् ब्राह्मं कर्म ॥42||

||Sloka meanings||

शमः दमः तपः - restraint of mind, restraint of senses, austerities
शौचम् क्षान्तिः आर्जवम् एव च - cleanliness, endurance, guilelessness,
ज्ञानं विज्ञानमास्तिक्यं - knowledge , realization, faith
स्वभावजम् ब्राह्मं कर्म - natural duties of the Brahmana

||Sloka summary||

"Restraint of mind, restraint of senses, austerities, cleanliness, endurance, guilelessness,
knowledge, realization, faith are the natural duties of the Brahmana ". ||42||

||Sloka 43||

शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं युद्धेचाप्य पलायनम्।
दानमीश्वरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम् ||43||

स॥ शौर्यं तेजः धृतिः दाक्ष्यम् युद्धे अपलायनम् अपि च दानं ईश्वरभावः च स्वभावजम् क्षात्र कर्म॥43||

||Sloka meanings||

शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं - courage, power, fortitude and skill
युद्धे अपलायनम् अपि च - not retreating in the battle also
दानं ईश्वरभावः च - generosity, lordliness
स्वभावजम् क्षात्र कर्म- natural duties of a Kshatriya.

||Sloka summary||

"Courage, power, fortitude, skill, not retreating in the battle also generosity, lordliness
are the natural duties of a Kshatriya ". ||43||

||Sloka 44||

कृषि गोरक्षवाणिज्यं वैश्यं कर्म स्वभावजम्।
परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम् ॥44||

स॥ कृषि गोरक्ष वाणिज्यं स्वभावजम् वैश्य कर्म ( भवति)| अपि परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्य स्वभावजम् ॥44||

||Sloka meanings||

कृषि गोरक्षवाणिज्यं - farming, rearing cattle, trade
स्वभावजम् वैश्य कर्म - natural duties of Vaishya
अपि परिचर्यात्मकं- in the form of service
शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम् - Sudra's natural duty

||Sloka summary||

"Farming, rearing cattle, trade are the natural duties of Vaishyas.
Sudra's natural duty is in the form of service. "||44||

||Sloka 45||

स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरतः संसिद्धिं लभते नरः।
स्वकर्म निरतः सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तत् शृणु ॥45||

स॥ स्वे स्वे कर्मणि अभिरतः नरः संसिद्धिं लभते स्वकर्मनिरतः यथा सिद्धिं विन्दति तत् शृणु॥45||

||Sloka meanings||

स्वे स्वे कर्मणि अभिरतः नरः - man devoted to his own duty
संसिद्धिं लभते स्वकर्मनिरतः - attains complete success devoted to his own duty
यथा सिद्धिं विन्दति तत् शृणु- how one may attain success that do hear.

||Sloka summary||

"Man devoted to his own duty attains complete success devoted to his own duty.
How one (devoted to his own duty) may attain success that do hear." ||45||

Krishna makes it clear that anybody can attain success or Moksha, following his own duty. It is not necessary that one has to read Vedas to attain knowledge and there by liberation. The path to Moksha is indeed free irrespective of the caste.

So, then with these varied duties and nature, how does one proceed to cut down the bondage and attain Moksha.
The answer follows from Krishna.

||Sloka 46||

यतः प्रवृतिर्भूतानां येन सर्वमिदं ततम्।
स्वकर्मणा तमभ्यर्च्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवः ॥46||

स॥ यतः भूतानां प्रवृत्तिः येन इदम् सर्वं ततम् तं मानवः स्वकर्मणा अभ्यर्च्य सिद्धिं विन्दति॥46||

||Sloka meanings||
यतः भूतानां प्रवृत्तिः - from whom the origin of entities
येन इदम् सर्वं ततम् - by whom alone all of this is pervaded
तं मानवः स्वकर्मणा अभ्यर्च्य - adoring him, the man through his own duties
सिद्धिं विन्दति- attains success.

||Sloka summary||
" Man through his own duties attains success. adoring him, from whom the origin of entities
by whom alone all of this is pervaded,
". ||46||

Having stated that he will tell how one can attain success following his own duties Krishna tells a simple formula. What is that? First, he reminds us of that one from whom all the entities originated, and by whom the whole universe is pervaded. Then, he says by simply adoring him and performing one's own duties one may attain success.

That, one attains success following his own duties, is almost an echo of the line in chapter 6 saying, 'उद्धरेदात् आत्मानं आत्मानमवसादयेतÓ (6.5) effectively saying that a man my raise himself by his own efforts.

The thought about adoring him, also echoes many episodes of Bhagavatam, which is about adoring the Supreme being, reminds one the story of Gajendra the elephant king whose adoring cry for the one from whom all the entities originated, and by whom the whole universe is pervaded, results in his being saved.

This formula given by Krishna is free of caste and creed and gender bias.

||Sloka 47||

श्रेयान् स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्।
स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥47||

स॥ स्वधर्मः विगुणः अपि अनुष्ठितात् परधर्मात् श्रेयान् । स्वभाव नियतम् कर्म कुर्वन् किल्बिषम्( पापम्) न आप्नोति॥47||

||Sloka meanings||

स्वधर्मः विगुणः अपि - one's own duty though defective
अनुष्ठितात् परधर्मात् श्रेयान् - better than other duty followed diligently.
स्वभाव नियतम् कर्म कुर्वन् - following the actions based on his own nature
किल्बिषम्( पापम्) न आप्नोति- does not incur sin .

||Sloka summary||

"Following one's own duty though defective is better than other duty followed diligently.
following the actions based on his own nature one does not incur sin "||47||

The whole dialog of Gita is about cessation of sorrow and liberation. Read in that context, this is an eminently acceptable formula. Performing actions based on one's own nature is better than following actions based on other's nature. One is more likely to succeed in his actions based on his own nature. Man's goal also is liberation. In the context of liberation this is valid statement. This is also a valid management dictum, where the managements insist that one perform his duty rather than take up another's work. The uncomfortable and unacceptable reading of this dictum would be if it is meant to restrain one's duties based on his own caste.

The statement, 'स्वधर्मः विगुणः अपि - one's own duty though defective', seems like a statement addressed to Vaishyas and Sudras. In the context of liberation, this could only mean that they need not fall prey to false need of studying scriptures with a possibility of false understanding. Following their own duties, and simply adoring Him one can attain success which is Moksha.

If liberation is not the goal, then one is following the rules of Charvakas. Then there is no discussion at all.

||Sloka 48||

सहजं कर्म कौन्तेय सदोषमपि न त्यजेत्।
सर्वारम्भहि दोषेण धूमेनाग्निरिवावृताः ॥48||

स॥ कौन्तेय ! सहजम् कर्म सदोषमपि न त्यजेत् । धूमेन अग्निः इव ॥48||

||Sloka meanings||

सहजम् कर्म - duty born of one's own nature
सदोषमपि न त्यजेत् - though it may be faulty, not to be given up.
धूमेन अग्निः इव - like fire enveloped by smoke
सर्वारम्भाः दोषेण आवृताः हि - all initiatives are enveloped by faults

||Sloka summary||

"O Kaunteya, one may not give up duty born of one's own nature though it may be faulty.
Indeed like fire enveloped by smoke, all initiatives are enveloped by faults." ||48||

All action being evil (if the fruits are not renounced), there is no need to perform somebody else's duty however profound it may be sounding. One may as well perform one's own duty renouncing its fruits, and that is the way forward.

||Sloka 49||

असक्त बुद्धिः सर्वत्र जितात्मा विगतस्पृहः।
नैष्कर्म्यसिद्धिं परमां सन्न्यासेनाधि गच्छति ॥49||

स॥ सर्वत्र असक्त बुद्धिः जितात्म विगतस्पृहः सन्न्यासेन परमाम् नैष्कर्म्य सिद्धिं अधिगच्छति॥49||

||Sloka meanings||

सर्वत्र असक्त बुद्धिः - one whose intellect remains unattached
जितात्म विगतस्पृहः - one who has conquered his mind, one who is desireless
सन्न्यासेन - by renunciation .
परमाम् नैष्कर्म्य सिद्धिं अधिगच्छति - attains that state which is free from all actions
||Sloka summary||

"One whose intellect remains unattached,
one who has conquered his mind, one who is desireless,
attains that state, which is free from all actions by renunciation." ||49||

||Sloka 50||

सिद्धिं प्राप्तो यथा ब्रह्म तथाऽऽप्नोति निबोधमे।
समासेनैव कौन्तेय निष्ठा ज्ञानस्य या परा ॥ 50||

स॥ हे कौन्तेय! सिद्धिं प्राप्तः यथा ब्रह्ममाप्नोति तथा ज्ञानस्य परा निष्ठाया यद् अस्ति तत् समासेन एव मे निबोध॥50||

||Sloka meanings||
कौन्तेय- O Kaunteya
सिद्धिं प्राप्तः - one who achieved success
यथा ब्रह्ममाप्नोति तथा- by what process attains Brahman that process,,
ज्ञानस्य परा निष्ठाया यद् अस्ति - the supreme state of knowledge
तत् समासेन एव मे निबोध-that know from Me briefly.

||Sloka summary||

"O, Kaunteya, know from Me briefly, by what process, one who achieved success, attains Brahman that process,
and the Supreme state of knowledge."||50||

'यथा ब्रहं आप्नोति तथा', means how one attains Brahman that process; the process by which one may attain the Supreme state of Knowledge; this is going to be elaborated.

What is going to be stated in the next three Slokas is the process only. Using that process one is ready to attain Brahman.

How to attain Brahman has been detailed in the earlier seventeen chapters. But now this be stated briefly, समासेन. That means we will hear the essence of Gita, briefly, in the next three Slokas.

||Sloka 51||

बुद्ध्या विशुद्धया युक्तो धृत्याऽऽत्मानं नियम्य च।
शब्दादीन् विषयां स्त्यक्त्वा रागद्वेषौ व्युदस्य च ॥51||

स॥ विशुद्धया बुद्ध्या युक्तः धृत्या आत्मानम् नियम्यच शब्दादीन् विषयान् त्यक्त्वा रागद्वेषौ व्युदस्य च ॥51||

||Sloka meanings||

विशुद्धया बुद्ध्या युक्तः - one with purified intellect
धृत्या आत्मानम् नियम्यच - restraining mind (Self) with fortitude
शब्दादीन् विषयान् त्यक्त्वा - rejecting the objects like sound etc
रागद्वेषौ व्युदस्य च - giving up attachment and aversion

||Sloka summary||

"One with purified intellect, restraining mind (Self) with fortitude,
rejecting the objects like sound etc, giving up attachment and aversion (one becomes fit to attain Brahman)."||51||

This is in continuation of the line about telling the process by which one who achieved success, gets ready to achieve liberation.

The one who achieved success is endowed with purified intellect which is free from all doubts and misconceptions. He is the one who with fortitude restrained his mind from wandering along wrong paths and directing it towards Brahman. He rejecting the objects like sound, touch, form, taste, and smell whose enjoyments create bondage, and giving up attachment and aversion, gets ready for further steps in the process of becoming fit to attain Brahman

||Sloka 52||

विविक्तसेवी लघ्वाशी यतवाक्कायमानसः।
ध्यानयोगपरो नित्यं वैराग्यं समुपाश्रितः ||52||

स॥ विविक्तसेवी लघ्वाशी यतवाक्कायमानसः नित्यं ध्यान योग परः वैराग्यं समुपाश्रितः॥

॥Sloka meanings||

विविक्तसेवी लघ्वाशी - one who resorts to solitude, eating lightly
यतवाक्कायमानसः- with speech, body, and mind under control
नित्यं ध्यान योग परः - always intent on Yoga of meditation
वैराग्यं समुपाश्रितः - resorting to dispassion.

||Sloka summary||

" One who resorts to solitude, eating lightly, with speech, body, and mind under control,
always intent on Yoga of meditation, resorting to dispassion, (one becomes fit to attain Brahman)." ||52||

Rejecting the objects like sound, touch, form, taste, and smell whose enjoyments create bondage, and giving up attachment and aversion, he continues pursuit of Brahman following the conditions stated in this Sloka. Namely, resorting to solitude, eating lightly, resorting to dispassion, engages in Dhyana, the yoga of meditation.

We hear in the next Sloka that in this state of meditation, having given up other distortions of life like ego pride desire anger etc with serene disposition becomes fit to attain Brahman.

||Sloka 53||

अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं परिग्रहम्।
विमुच्य निर्ममः शान्तो ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते ॥53||

स॥ अहंकारं बलं दर्पं कामम् क्रोधम् परिग्रहम् विमुच्य निर् ममः शांतः ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते॥

॥Sloka meanings||

अहंकारं बलं दर्पं - ego, force, pride
कामम् क्रोधम् परिग्रहम् विमुच्य - renouncing desire, anger, possessions
निर् ममः शांतः - rid of the sense of ownership, one who is at peace
ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते- fit for the becoming Brahman.

||Sloka summary||
"Renouncing ego, force, pride, desire, anger, possessions,
being rid of the sense of ownership, one who is at peace become fit for attaining Brahman." ||53||

This is the culmination of that process.

In these three Slokas ways to be fit to attain Moksha are stated. They may be summarized as follows.
One on the path of liberation shall have the following qualitiesमोक्षप्राप्तिकि -
- intellect free of distortions
- fortitude to control the organs and mind.
- reject objects sound, taste, smell etc,
- give up attachment and aversion
What he supposed to do
- resort to solitude
- eat sparingly
- control speech body and mind
- resort to dispassion.
- be involved in Yoga of meditation.
Such a person, in the process having given up ego, evil obstinacy, pride, desire, and any sense of ownership becomes serene. Attaining a state of peace he comes fit for becoming Brahman.

In sum and substance these are the qualities of one who attained success.
These are also the tools for attaining Brahman too.
The tools consist of characteristics to be attained as well as characteristics that need to be rejected.

||Sloka 54||

ब्रह्मभूतः प्रसन्नात्मा न शोचति नाकांक्षति।
समः सर्वेषु भूतेषु मद्भक्तिं लभते पराम् ॥54||

स॥ ब्रह्मभूतः प्रसन्नात्मा न शोचति न कांक्षति । सर्वेषु भूतेषु समः परां मद्भक्तिं लभते॥54||

||Sloka meanings||

ब्रह्मभूतः- one who attained Brahman
प्रसन्नात्मा- with tranquil mind
न शोचति न कांक्षति - does not grieve or desire
सर्वेषु भूतेषु समः - being of same attitude to all beings
परां मद्भक्तिं लभते- attains the Supreme devotion in Me

||Sloka summary||

" One who attained Brahman imbued with tranquil mind, does not grieve or desire.
Being of same attitude to all beings attains the Supreme devotion in Me."||54||

The one who attains Brahman is at peace with a tranquil mind. He does not grieve or desire. He has same attitude to all beings.

The mark of one who attained Brahman or one who realized Self, is 'Samatva'. Being able to have same attitude to all beings and being able to see them as equal to himself. The mark of one who attained knowledge also is Samatva.

Such an enlightened man also attains Supreme devotion in Him.

Again it is worthwhile to have a brief summary of what has been said in the last few Slokas. That person having abandoned egotism (अहङ्कारं) strength (बलं), arrogance (दर्पं), desire(कामं), anger (क्रोधं), property (परिग्रहम्), becoming free from the notion of mine etc(निर्ममः), and peaceful (शान्तो) he becomes fit for becoming Brahman. Attaining Brahman, he neither grieves nor desires. Treating all beings alike he attains supreme devotion (भक्तिम्) to the Lord.

Thus in summary, having traversed the path of Knowledge (ज्ञान) he finally attains supreme (भक्ति) devotion on the path to Moksha.

||Sloka 55||

भक्त्यामामभिजानाति यावान्यश्चास्मि तत्त्वतः।
ततो मां तत्त्वतो ज्ञात्वा विशते तदनन्तरम् ॥55||

स॥ भक्त्या माम् तत्त्वतः यावान् यः च अस्मि अभिजानाति ॥ ततः माम् तत्त्वतः ज्ञात्वा तदन्तरम् विशते॥55||

||Sloka meanings||

भक्त्या माम् तत्त्वतः अभिजानाति - with devotion one knows Me truly
यावान् यः च अस्मि- as to What and who I am .
ततः माम् तत्त्वतः ज्ञात्वा - Thus having known Me truly
तदन्तरम् विशते - immediately after that enters (Me)

||Sloka summary||

"With devotion one knows Me truly as to What and who I am.
Thus having known Me truly, immediately after that enters (Me) "||55||.

With devotion one knows Me truly, means that the thing to known has been realized. Knowing Me fully means that he realizes the knowledge. That knowledge allows to one surmise for himself what is Brahman and who is Brahman.

If we read this again and again, it become clear that the devotion with which one approaches the Supreme being or the path of devotion leads one to realize the true nature of Supreme being. That is also the culmination of the path of knowledge. The end result of the path of devotion and path of knowledge is one and the same Brahman.

Knowing Him fully means entering Him or entering that circle of knowledge that represents Him.

In the eleventh chapter we hear, "ज्ञातुं द्रष्ठुं च तत्त्वेन प्रवेष्ठुं च परन्तप". What was said at that point also was that with supreme devotion ' He may be known truthfully seen and entered'. We hear the same thought briefly here.

||Sloka 56||

सर्वकर्माण्यपि सदा कुर्वाणो मद्व्यपाश्रयः।
मत्प्रसादादवाप्नोति शाश्वतं पदमव्ययम् ॥56||

स॥सर्वकर्माणि सदा कुर्वाणः अपि मद्व्यापाश्रयः मत्प्रासादात् अव्ययम् शाश्वतम् पदम् आप्नोति॥ 56||

||Sloka meanings||

सर्वकर्माणि - all actions
सदा कुर्वाणः अपि - though performing always
मद्व्यापाश्रयः- one who took refuge in Me
मत्प्रासादात् - through My grace
अव्ययम् शाश्वतम् पदम् आप्नोति - attains that eternal immutable state

||Sloka summary||

"Though always performing all actions, the one took refuge in Me,
through My grace attains that eternal immutable state ". ||56||

The one who takes refuge in the Supreme being, though always performing all actions, thinking of Him, will offer them to Him only. Thus he is free of all bondage and dualities. The eternal peace is a consequent step.
.
||Sloka 57||

चेतसा सर्व कर्माणि मयि सन्न्यस्य मत्परः।
बुद्धियोगमुपाश्रित्य मच्चित्तः सततं भव ॥57||

स॥ सर्वकर्माणि चेतसा मयि सन्न्यस्य मत्परः बुद्धियोगम् उपाश्रित्य सततम् मच्चित्तः भव॥57||

||Sloka meanings||

सर्वकर्माणि - all actions
चेतसा मयि सन्न्यस्य - mentally dedicating to Me
मत्परः - accepting Me as the supreme,
बुद्धियोगम् उपाश्रित्य - resorting to Yoga of intellect
सततम् मच्चित्तः भव- have your mind ever fixed on Me

||Sloka summary||

"Mentally dedicating all actions to Me, accepting Me as the supreme, ,
resorting to Yoga of intellect, have the mind fixed on Me." ||57||

In Sloka (10.10) of tenth chapter, Krishna said that He will give Yoga of intellect to them who worship him with love. Which is meant to say that with Yoga of intellect one attains single focused mind, and the ability for enquiry into the essence of the Supreme being.

Here, Krishna is saying that by dedicating all actions to Him, resorting to the Yoga of intellect, fix your mind on Him. What happens if you fix your mind on Him? One can overcome all difficulties.

||Sloka 58||

मच्चित्तसर्वदुर्गाणि मत्प्रसादात्तरिष्यसि।
अथ चेत्त्वमहङ्कारान् न श्रोष्यसि विनंक्ष्यसि ॥58||

स॥ मच्चित्तः मत्प्रसादात् सर्वदुर्गाणि तरिष्यसि। अथ त्वम् अहंकारात् न सॊष्यसि चेत् विनंक्ष्यसि॥58||

||Sloka meanings||

मच्चित्तः मत्प्रसादात् - with mind find on Me, by my grace
सर्वदुर्गाणि तरिष्यसि- you will overcome all obstacles
अथ त्वम् अहंकारात् न सॊष्यसि - Because of ego you do not pay heed
विनंक्ष्यसि- you will perish

||Sloka summary||

"With mind find on Me, by my grace you will overcome all obstacles.
Because of ego if you do not pay heed, you will perish." ||58||

With mind fixed on him one will overcome all difficulties with his grace. Here, Krishna laid down the way to cross of the ocean of obstacles.

||Sloka 59||

यद्यहङ्कारमाश्रित्य नयोत्स्य इति मन्यसे।
मिथ्यैष व्यवसायस्ते प्रकृतिस्त्वां नियोक्षयति ॥59||

स॥ यदि अहंकारम् आश्रित्य न योत्स्ये इति मन्यसे चेत् एषः ते व्यवसायः मिथ्या प्रकृतिः त्वाम् नियोक्ष्यति ॥59||

||Sloka meanings||

अहंकारम् आश्रित्य - Relying on ego
यदि न योत्स्ये इति मन्यसे चेत् - if you think that you will not fight
एषः ते व्यवसायः मिथ्या - this effort of yours is in vain.
प्रकृतिः त्वाम् नियोक्ष्यति - Your nature will impel you.

||Sloka summary||

"Relying on ego, if you think that you will not fight, this effort of yours is in vain.
Your nature will impel you." ||59||

Let the ego not drive us to think that we are independent and that no other advice is needed. One is truly independent only when one is free of ego. Free of ego one has the ability of dispassionate enquiry. Only that dispassionate enquiry makes one free.
.
||Sloka 60||

स्वभावजेन कौन्तेय निबद्धस्स्वेन कर्मणा।
कर्तुं नेच्छसि मन्मोहात् करिष्यस्यवशोऽपि तत् ॥60||

स॥ कौन्तेय स्वभावजेन स्वेन कर्मणा निबद्धः मोहात् यत् कर्तुम् न इच्छसि तत् अपि अवशः अपि करिष्यसि॥

॥Sloka meanings||

स्वभावजेन स्वेन कर्मणा निबद्धः - bound by actions born out your nature
तत् अपि अवशः अपि करिष्यसि- that you will inevitably do
यत् कर्तुम् न इच्छसि - that you do not wish to do
मोहात् - because of delusion

||Sloka summary||

"O Kaunteya, bound by actions born out your nature,
you will inevitably do that which you do not wish to do, because of delusion." ||60||

This is addressed to Kaunteya or Arjuna.
निबद्धः mean bound by that. Bound by the past.
Krishna says bound by our nature you will inevitable do that, not what you want to do.
This statement is only to indicate how difficult indeed for one to overcome his nature
But we know that though we are bound by past, the same can be overcome.
The paths have been laid out.

||Sloka 61||

ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्टति।
भ्रामयन्सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि मायया ॥61||

स॥ हे अर्जुन! ईश्वरः मायया सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि इव भ्रामयन् सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशे तिष्ठति॥61||

||Sloka meanings||

ईश्वरः मायया - Lord
सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि इव भ्रामयन् - making all beings revolve as though mounted on a machine
मायया- through Maya
सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशे तिष्ठति- resides in the heart of all beings

||Sloka summary||

"Lord, making all beings revolve as though mounted on a machine through Maya,
resides in the heart of all beings, ". ||61||

All beings are moving around mechanically, as though sitting on a revolving machine, while the Lord is residing the heart of all beings at all times. This is the typical description of the ocean of life or 'bhava sagara', crossing which is the wish of all beings. The essence of Gita is on ways to cross this ocean. Krishna in the next three slokas summarizes, how one may cross this ocean.

||Sloka 62||

तमेव शरणं गच्छ सर्वभावेन भारत।
तत् प्रासादात्परां शान्तिं स्थानं प्राप्स्यसि शाश्वतम् ॥62||

स॥ हे भारत! सर्वभावेन तम् ( हृदयत्स्थं ) एव शरणं गच्छ । तत् प्रसादात् पराम् शान्तिम् शाश्वतम् स्थानम् प्राप्स्यसि॥62||

||Sloka meanings||

सर्वभावेन - in all ways ( with speech, mind, and actions)
तम् एव शरणं गच्छ - you take refuge in him
तत् प्रसादात् - with his grace
पराम् शान्तिम् शाश्वतम् स्थानम् - supreme peace and eternal state
प्राप्स्यसि- you will attain.

||Sloka summary||

"In all ways (with speech, mind, and actions) you take refuge in him. With his grace you will attain
supreme peace and eternal state." ||62||

The summary is that the one who is made to revolve around as though mounted on a machine, who is bound by actions dictated by nature, if he seeks refuge in Him, then he will attain supreme peace and eternal state by His grace.

||Sloka 63||

इति ते ज्ञानमाख्यातंगुह्याद्गुह्यतरं मया।
विमृश्यैतत् अशेषेण यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु ॥63||

स॥इति गुह्यात् गुह्यतरम् ज्ञानम् मया ते आख्यातम् । एतत् अशेषेण विमृश्य यथा इच्छसि तथा कुरु॥63||

||Sloka meanings||

इति गुह्यात् गुह्यतरम् ज्ञानम् - thus this very secret knowledge
मया ते आख्यातम् - taught by me to you
एतत् अशेषेण विमृश्य - understanding this fully
यथा इच्छसि तथा कुरु- do as you like

||Sloka summary||

"Thus this very secret knowledge taught by Me to you.
Understanding this fully do as you like." ||63||

Krishna is indicating that this is the conclusion of the discourse and that Arjuna is free to do whatever he likes. Krishna still has a last word, the last few Slokas.

||Sloka 64||

सर्वगुह्यतमं भूयः शृणुमे परमं वचः।
इष्टोऽसि मे दृढमिति ततो वक्ष्यामिते हितम् ॥64||

स॥ सर्वगुह्यतमम् परमम् मे वचः भूयः शृणु। (त्वं) मे दृढं इष्टः असि इति । ततः ते हितम् वक्ष्यामि॥64||

||Sloka meanings||

सर्वगुह्यतमम् परमम् - this very secret and supreme
मे वचः भूयः शृणु- hear my words again .
मे दृढं इष्टः असि इति - Since you are dear to me
ततः ते हितम् वक्ष्यामि- so I say what is good for you

||Sloka summary||

"This very secret and supreme words of mine please listen.
Since you are dear to Me, so I say what is good for you." ||64||

What is he going to tell as his last word?

||Sloka 65||

मन्मनाभव मद्भक्तो मद्याजीमां नमस्कुरु।
मामे वैष्यसि सत्यं ते प्रतिजाने प्रियोऽसि मे ॥65||

स॥ मन् मनाः मद्भक्तः मद्याजी भव। माम् नमस्कुरु। माम् एव एष्यसि ।(त्वं) मे प्रियः असि। ते सत्यं प्रतिजाने ॥65||

||Sloka meanings||

मन् मनाः - set your mind on Me
मद्भक्तः - be My devotee
मद्याजी भव- be My worshipper
माम् नमस्कुरु- bow down to Me
माम् एव एष्यसि - you will attain Me
मे प्रियः असि- You are dear to Me
ते सत्यं प्रतिजाने - Truly I promise thus

||Sloka summary||

"Set your mind on Me. Be My devotee. Be My worshipper. Bow down to Me.
You will attain Me. Truly I promise thus, as you are dear to Me." ||65||

This is a promise. This is the gist that is to be understood and internalized.
"Set your mind on Me. Be My devotee. Be My worshipper. Bow down to Me. You will attain Me".

This is a universal promise.

There is more.

||Sloka 66||

सर्वधर्मान् परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज।
अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः ॥66||

स॥ सर्वधर्मान् परित्यज्य माम् एकं शरणं व्रज ॥ अहम् त्वां सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि । माशुचः॥66||

||Sloka meanings||

सर्वधर्मान् परित्यज्य - abandoning all form of rites and duties
माम् एकं शरणं व्रज - take refuge in Me
अहम् त्वां सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि- I will free you from all sins
माशुचः - do not grieve

||Sloka summary||

" Abandoning all form of rites and duties take refuge in Me.
I will free you from all sins. Do not grieve." ||66||

Abandoning all rites and duties, without exception, take refuge in Him. This as forceful as it can be. It is as though commanding one to say to himself, "I shall become self-fulfilled through God's grace", which does not depend on anything else. Contemplate on the lord with intense love or devotion, with the belief that this alone is the Supreme reality. The promise is that one is free from all sins. He will have no sorrow.

Thus ends the discourse which starts with the words, "अशोचानन्वशोचस्त्वं', that you are grieving about things that should not be grieved for. The end is fittingly "माशुचः", do not grieve.

In a simple reading, the last Sloka has no hint of the difficult path of knowledge. Only a path of un conditional devotion is told for attaining liberation. This is easily understood by a common man. Thus, this is within the realm of people who are not well versed in Sastras. Once devotee takes refuge in the Supreme being, Bhagavan frees him from all sins, making one attain the supreme state. In that state there is no scope for sorrow. That is also said in the Sloka, by saying माशुचः.

There are deeper reflections on the words uttered here.

The fruit of all actions and rites is embedded in the act of taking refuge in Him. By attaining which everything else is attained, that is attained by taking refuge in Him. Hence the exhortation to take refuge in Him, to the exclusion of every other activity. That is the gist of this exhortation of Bhagavan.

The exhortation effectively means, leaving all the objects or renunciation of all objects, take refuge in Self. Liberation is attained by that. By renunciation one attains liberation.

In the idiom of the chapter 13, the yoga of Filed and the Knower of the Field, the exhortation means the following: Renunciation of all thoughts about objects in the form of Field, take refuge in the Knower of the field namely Self or Paramatman.

Shankaracharya in his commentary says that Gita Sastra is embedded in this Sloka. 'सर्वधर्मान् परित्यज्य - abandoning all form of rites and duties', reiterates renunciation of all actions. Steadfastness in knowledge has been iterated in, 'take refuge in Me'.

While there may be many interpretations, no one can explain the intent of Bhagavan other than repeat the actual words leaving everyone to have their own understanding. Ultimately knowing this truth do not grieve is the command.

Thus the dialogue which started with a statement that there is no scope for sorrow, ends in a statement that reiterates that by taking refuge in Him, there is no scope for sorrow.

||Sloka 67||

इदं ते ना तपस्काय ना भक्ताय कदाचन।
न चाऽशुश्रूषवे वाच्यं न च मां योऽभ्यसूयति ॥67||

स॥ते ( अभिहितम्) इदं ( गीताशास्त्रम्) कदाचन अ तपस्काय न वाच्यम्। अभक्ताया अशुश्रूषवे च न वाच्यम्। यः माम् अभ्यसूयति तस्मै च न वाच्यं॥67||

||Sloka meanings||
ते ( अभिहितम्) इदं ( गीताशास्त्रम्) - This that was told to you
कदाचन अ तपस्काय न वाच्यम्- never be told to one devoid of austerities,
अभक्ताया अशुश्रूषवे च न वाच्यम्- never be told to one who is not a devotee, or who does not render service,
यः माम् अभ्यसूयति तस्मै च न वाच्यं -
never be told to one who reviles Me

||Sloka summary||

"This that was told to you is never be told to one devoid of austerities.
Never be told to one who is not a devotee, or who does not render service.
Never be told to one who reviles Me." ||67||

Krishna there upon effectively describes those who can and cannot receive this teaching.

This knowledge of Gita may be taught to one involved in austerities or in the path of liberation, or to a devotee or anyone involved in service without fruits. Krishna specifically bans its being conveyed to people who are devoid of austerities, who are not devoted, who are not involved in service and those who speak ill of him.

This is also in line with though expressed in 3.36 and 3.29 specifically stating that man of wisdom shall not destabilize the mind of an ignorant one attached to fruits of actions.

||Sloka 68||

य इमं परमं गुह्यं मद्भक्तेष्वभिधास्यति।
भक्तिं मयि परां कृत्वा मामेवैष्यत्यसंशयः ॥68||

स॥यः परमं गुह्यं इमम् गीताशास्त्रं मद्भक्तेषु अभिदास्यति मयि पराम् भक्तिं कृत्वा अशंसयः माम् एव एष्यति॥68||

||Sloka meanings||
परमं गुह्यं इमम् गीताशास्त्रं - this highest secret
यः मद्भक्तेषु अभिदास्यति - whoever imparts to My devotee
मयि पराम् भक्तिं कृत्वा - with utmost devotion to Me
अशंसयः माम् एव एष्यति- will attain Me without any doubt
.
||Sloka summary||
"Whoever with utmost devotion to Me,
imparts this highest secret to My devotee,
will attain Me without any doubt ". ||68||

Whoever imparts this secret dialogue of Krishna and Arjuna in both letter and spirit will attain liberation.
How is to be taught?
It is to be taught with utmost devotion-पराम् भक्तिं.
Shankaracharya says that the use of words of Devotee and devotion, effectively repeating the word devotion, shows that the eligibility for cultivating this Gita Sastra is bound up with devotion to God alone.

||Sloka 69||

न च तस्मान् मनुष्येषु कश्चिन्मे प्रियकृत्तमः।
भविता न च मे तस्मात् अन्यः प्रियतरो भुवि ॥69||

स॥मनुष्येषु तस्मात् मे प्रियकृत्तमः कश्चित् न च ।तस्मात् मे अन्यः प्रियतरः भुवि भविता न च ॥69||

||Sloka meanings||

मनुष्येषु तस्मात् - compared with him, among people
मे प्रियकृत्तमः कश्चित् न च - there is none who can perform a deed dear to me.
भविता न च - nor will there be
मे अन्यः प्रियतरः तस्मात्- another dearer one than him to Me
भुवि- in this world

||Sloka summary||

"Compared with him, among people there is none who can perform a deed dear to me.
nor will there be another dearer one than him to Me in this world." ||69||

Saying 'compared with him' etc, the teacher of Gita is placed at a higher pedestal, being dear to God.
This is the fruit for the teacher of Gita Sastra.

||Sloka 70||

अध्येष्यते च य इमं धर्म्यं संवादमावयोः।
ज्ञानयज्ञेन तेनाह मिष्टःस्यामिति मे मतिः ॥70||

स॥ यः च धर्म्यम् आवयोः इमं संवादम् अध्वेष्यते ( अध्ययनं करोति इति) तेन ज्ञानयज्ञेन अहं इष्टः स्याम् इति मे मतिः॥70||

||Sloka meanings||

यः अध्वेष्यते whoever studies
यः च धर्म्यम् संवादम् आवयोः - this sacred conversation between us
अहं इष्टः स्याम् - I am adored by him
तेन ज्ञानयज्ञेन - through this sacrifice of knowledge by him
इति मे मतिः- This is my view.

||Sloka summary||

"Whoever studies this sacred conversation between us,
I am adored by him through this sacrifice of knowledge by him. This is my view." ||71||

The one who studies or learns this Gita Sastra, is effectively performing a Sacrifice. A sacrifice of knowledge.
Thus, the study of Gita is exalted, as being equal to a Sacrifice

||Sloka 71||

श्रद्धवान् अनसूयश्च शृणुयादपि यो नरः।
सोऽपि मुक्तः शुभान् लोकान् आप्नुयात्पुण्यकर्मणाम् ॥71||

स॥ यः नरः श्रद्धवान् अनसूयः च शृणुयात् अपि - सः अपि - ( पापकर्मणां)मुक्तः पुण्यकर्मणान् लोकान् आप्नोति॥71||

||Sloka meanings||

यः नरः श्रद्धवान् - any man who is with faith
अनसूयः च - free from jealousy
शृणुयात् अपि- listens to this
सः अपि - ( पापकर्मणां)मुक्तः - that one being freed
पुण्यकर्मणान् लोकान् आप्नोति- attains the worlds of those performing meritorious deeds

||Sloka summary||

"Any man who is with faith, and free from jealousy, merely listens to this,
that one being freed attains the worlds of those performing meritorious deeds ". ||71||

The fruits of following Gita continue. A listener with faith acquires merits of one who performed meritorious deeds. Unlike many other Phala stutis, here Bhagavan himself is stating the fruits.

||Sloka 72||

कच्छिदेतत् श्रुतं पार्थ त्वयैकाग्रेणचेतसा।
कच्चिदज्ञानसम्मोहः प्रणष्टस्ते धनञ्जय ॥72||

स॥ हे पार्थ एतत् त्वया एकाग्रेण चेतसा श्रुतं कश्चित् । हे धनंजय ते अज्ञानसम्मोहः प्रणष्टः कश्चित् ?॥

॥Sloka meanings||

पार्थ - O Partha
श्रुतं कश्चित् - has this been heard
एतत् त्वया एकाग्रेण चित्तसा - by you with one pointed mind?
ते अज्ञानसम्मोहः - your delusion created by ignorance
प्रणष्टः कश्चित् - has it been destroyed

||Sloka summary||

"- O Partha has this been heard by you with one pointed mind?
Your delusion created by ignorance; has it been destroyed? ". ||72||

Krishan is asking Arjuna if he has heard this with one pointed mind. He also asks him, if he is rid of the delusion causing sorrow.

'एकाग्रेणचेतसा' means, with a mind that is focused. One has to be totally attentive when listening to his master. Without such focus the understanding of the subject is not reached nor the destruction of ignorance happens.

The response of Arjuna is clear.
||Sloka 72||

अर्जुन उवाच:

नष्टोमोहः स्मृतिर्लब्धा त्वत् प्रासादान्मयाऽच्युत।
स्थितोऽस्मि गतसन्देहः करिष्ये वचनं तव ॥73||

स॥ हे अच्युत! त्वत्प्रासादात् मोहः नष्टः। मया स्मृतिः लब्धा ।गतसंदेहः स्थितः अस्मि। तव वचनं करिष्ये॥73||

||Sloka meanings||

त्वत्प्रासादात् मोहः नष्टः- by your grace my ignorance has been destroyed
मया स्मृतिः लब्धा - I have regained my memory
गतसंदेहः स्थितः अस्मि- I stand with my doubts removed
तव वचनं करिष्ये- I shall follow your instruction

||Sloka summary||

"O Achyuta, by your grace my ignorance has been destroyed. I have regained my memory.
I stand with my doubts removed. I shall follow your instruction ". ||73||

Arjuna says the erroneous understanding born if ignorance has been destroyed. Arjuna regained the memory. It is the memory of knowledge of Self. Arjuna like a true disciple says that he is ready to follow his master's direction. Thus, the conversation of Krishna and Arjuna concludes.

This conversation has been brought to life by Sanjaya with the grace of Vyasa. Now Sanjaya speaks, linking this back to the main story of Mahabharata.

||Sloka 74||

संजय उवाच:

इत्याहं वासुदेवस्य पार्थस्य च महात्मनः।
संवादमिममश्रौषं अद्भुतं रोमहर्षणम् ॥74||

स॥इति अहं वासुदेवस्य महात्मनः पार्थस्य इमम् अद्भुतम् रोमहर्षनम् संवादम् अश्रौषम्॥74||

||Sloka meanings||

इति अहं वासुदेवस्य महात्मनः पार्थस्य - thus Vasudeva's and the great soul Arjuna's
इमम् अद्भुतम् - this wonderful
रोमहर्षनम् संवादम् अहं अश्रौषम्- I heard conversation that makes one's hair stand on its end

||Sloka summary||
Sanjaya said:
"Thus, I heard Vasudeva's and the great soul Arjuna's wonderful conversation, that makes one's hair stand on its end." ||74||

Sanjaya uses two words to describe the dialog he heard. 'अद्भुतं रोमहर्षणम्', wonderful and that which makes one's hair stand on its end.

||Sloka 75||

व्यासप्रासादात् श्रुतवानेतत् गुह्यतमं परम्।
योगं योगेश्वरात् कृष्णात् साक्षात् कथयतः स्वयम् ॥75||

स॥ व्यास प्रसादात् अहम् गुह्यम् परम् एतत् योगम् स्वयम् कथयतः योगेश्वरात् कृष्णात् साक्षात् श्रुतवान्॥75||

||Sloka meanings||

व्यास प्रसादात् अहम् श्रुतवान्- through the favor of sage Vyasa I heard
गुह्यम् परम् एतत् योगम् - this very secret Yoga
योगेश्वरात् कृष्णात् साक्षात् - directly from Krishna the lord of Yogas
स्वयम् कथयतः - while he himself was speaking

||श्लोकतात्पर्यमु॥

"Through the favor of sage Vyasa I heard this very secret Yoga,
directly from Krishna the lord of Yogas while he himself was speaking". ||75||

Having heard this directly from Krishna by the grace of Vyasa, who gave him the divine sight to be able to see and hear all that happened, Sanjaya is now telling the King Dhritarashtra.

This no doubt is a wonderful conversation.

A conversation that is thrilling to hear. Arjuna, who appeared at the beginning of this discourse as one who is completely disoriented, is now transformed to a high soul (Mahatma). That is the grace of being the active participant in this wonderful conversation.

Though related by Sanjaya who recited conversation in totality to Dhritarashtra, this is what was told by the Supreme being Vasudeva himself.

||Sloka 76||

राजन् संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य संवादमिममद्भुतम्।
केशवार्जुनयोः पुण्यं हृष्यामि च मुहुर्मुहुः ॥76||

स॥ हे राजन् ! अद्भुतं पुण्यम् केशवार्जुनयोः इमं संवादं संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य मुहुमुहुः हृष्यामि॥76||

||Sloka meanings||
राजन् - O King
संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य - recollecting again and again
केशवार्जुनयोः इमं संवादं - Krishna and Arjuna's this conversation
अद्भुतं पुण्यम् - wonderful and auspicious
मुहुमुहुः हृष्यामि- rejoice again and again.

||Sloka summary||

"O King, recollecting again and again
this wonderful and auspicious conversation of Krishna and Arjuna,
I rejoice again and again. ". ||76||

Any one reading these lines of Sanjaya would be automatically thrilled to the core. Sanjaya truly brought out the thrill one would feel, while reading these concluding lines.

||Sloka 77||

तच्च संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य रूपमत्यद्भुतं हरेः।
विस्मयो मे महान् राजन् हृष्यामि च पुनः पुनः ॥77||

स॥ राजन् हरेः अत्यद्भुतम् तत् च रूपम् संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य मे महान् विस्मयः भवति । पुनः पुनः च हृष्यामि॥77||

||Sloka meanings||
राजन्- O King
संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य - recollecting again and again
हरेः अत्यद्भुतम् तत् च रूपम् - extraordinary form of SriHari
मे महान् विस्मयः भवति - I am struck with wonder
पुनः पुनः च हृष्यामि- I rejoice again and again

||Sloka summary||

" O King, recollecting again and again the extraordinary form of SriHari,
I am struck with wonder. And I rejoice again and again. "||77||

This dialog of Krishna and Arjuna was memorable. Sanjay having heard this dialog directly, was thrilled to the core. So is any reader even after many ages. These Slokas truly reflect the delight of Sanjaya in recounting them.

||Sloka 77||

यत्र योगेश्वरः कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धरः ।
तत्रश्रीर्विजयो भूतिर्ध्रुवान् इति मतिर्मम ॥78||

स॥ यत्र योगेश्वरः कृष्णः (तिष्टति) यत्र धनुर्धरः पार्थः (तिष्टति) तत्र श्रीः विजयः भूतिः ध्रुवा नीतिः सन्ति इति मम मतिः॥

॥Sloka meanings||

यत्र योगेश्वरः कृष्णः - where there is the Lord of Yogas Krishna
यत्र धनुर्धरः पार्थः - where there is the wielder of bow Arjuna
तत्र श्रीः विजयः भूतिः - there is fortune, victory, prosperity अक्कड लक्ष्मियु विजयमुनु ऐश्वर्यमुनु.
ध्रुवा नीतिः सन्ति - stable order will be there
इति मम मतिः- This is my view.

||Sloka summary||

"Where there is the Lord of Yogas Krishna,
where there is the wielder of bow Arjuna,
there is fortune, victory, prosperity, and stable order. This is my view."||78||

This is Sanjaya speaking to King Dhritarashtra. Sanjaya tells king Dhritarashtra that where there is Lord of Yogas Krishna and where there is Arjuna, the wielder of bow, the success is certain. The intent of Sanjaya was that hearing this divine dialog, Dhritarashtra would realize the futility of his son's war and make peace with Pandavas. That Sanjaya's wish bore no fruit is very well known. After this Sanjaya continued to narrate the battle from the first day onwards

Krishna uttered this most esteemed scripture with a view to enlighten a person who was filled with sorrow, who knew his affliction. Arjuna requested Krishna to instruct him, being filled with desire to know the means of eradicating sorrow etc which are inherent in the mundane existence. This has been made known to the wider world through the voice of Sanjaya.

On a wider canvas Krishna is the Supreme being. Arjuna is supreme devotee who has realized essence of Krishna's teaching (नष्टोऽमोहः स्मृतिर्लब्धा त्वत् प्रसादान्मयाऽच्युत). The combination of Supreme being with his Supreme devotee can only result in Success. It is the duty of all aspirants to address the Supreme being sitting in their hearts and be a devotee like Arjuna to attain success.

इति श्रीमन्महाभारते शतसहस्रिकायां संहितायां वैसिक्यां
श्रीमद्भीष्मपर्वणि श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासूपनिषत्सु ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे
श्रीकृष्णार्जुन संवादे मोक्षसन्न्यास योगो नाम
अष्टादशोऽध्यायः
||ओं तत् सत्॥
||om tat sat||