Bhagvad Gita image 1 no-watermark
(19) Vedas command rites, speak the flowery language that enumerates fruits of three guna, and, heavens as the highest goal. Such actions lead to several births in the desire for enjoyment. Those who are attached to Vedic texts cannot have a resolute mind.
(20) People do different kinds of yagna as given in Veda, which are born of karma. But for those who do knowledge-yagna, all karma stops in knowledge. Even, all sinfulness is cross over by the raft of knowledge. Doubts born of ignorance in the heart should be eliminated by the sword of knowledge.
(21) Wise performs karma with the body alone, not expecting anything, abandon all possession, content with what comes to him by chance. Such wise people are not bounded even while doing karma, their karma is entirely dissolved by knowledge.
(22) Results of renunciation (sannyasa) and Karm Yog (renunciation of fruits of karma) are the same, but renunciation is difficult to achieve, comparatively. Similarly, the results of Samkhya and Karm Yog are the same, childish utter them differently. A sage who performs yoga attains Brahman at once.
(23) Yogin conquers all senses, his self becomes identical with the self of all beings, does not involve even by karma. Yogin thinks ’I don’t do karma’ while engaging in hearing, touching, eating, etc. His sense organs remain free of attachment and yogin offers all karma to Brahman.
(24) Yogin does karma for self-perfection, with sense organs, mind, body that are free of attachments, and, abandons all fruits of karma. He thinks that the fruits of karma are the domain of senses. Such a yogin remains untouched by sin just as a lotus leaf by water.
(25) Eshwar neither creates agency of karma nor karma of people. He does not create a relationship between the performer, karma, and its fruits. It is the way things are. Eshwar does not accept the merit or sin of anyone. Knowledge is covered with ignorance, and that creates confusion.
(26) A learned pundit, endowed with humility, perceives brahmana, elephant, dog, cow as same. He does not find pleasure in objects of senses that have beginning and end. He is a knower of Brahman, established in Brahman, and merged with Brahman. He enjoys eternal happiness.
(27) Yogin endures, during his life itself, the momentum created by lust and anger. He remains blissful within, enlightens from within, (thus) his sins are attenuated and doubts are destroyed. Such yogin attains identity with Brahman and Brahman-nirvana.
(28) He who sleeps too much or too little, eats too much or too little, cannot attain Yog. It can only be achieved by eating and sleeping properly. A yogin’s mind is like a candle in a windless place, does not waver. His external organs are fully pacified and he is free from fear.