The Bhagavadgîtâ, with the Sanatsugâtîya and the Anugîtâ — SBE Vol. 8 (trans. K. T. Telang, 1882)
The translator’s English as printed (K. T. Telang). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
O Dhanañgaya! is far inferior to the devotion of the mind. In that devotion seek shelter. Wretched are those whose motive (to action) is the fruit (of action). He who has obtained devotion in this world casts off both merit and sin. Therefore apply yourself to devotion; devotion in (all) actions is wisdom. The wise who have obtained devotion cast off the fruit of action; and released from the shackles of (repeated) births², repair to that seat where there is no unhappiness*. When your mind shall have crossed beyond the taint of delusion, then will you become indifferent to all that you have heard or will hear‘ When your mind, that was confounded by what you have heard⁵, will stand firm and steady in contemplation‘, then will you acquire devotion.
Arguna said :
What are the characteristics, O Kesava! of one whose mind is steady, and who is intent on contemplation ? How should one of a steady mind speak, how sit, how move ?
The Deity said:
When a man, O son of Pṛtha! abandons all the desires of his heart, and is pleased in his self only and by his self,, he is then called of a steady mind. He whose heart is not agitated in the midst of calamities, who has no longing for pleasures, and from whom (the feelings of) affection, fear, and wrath, have departed, is called a sage of a steady mind. His mind is steady, who, being without attachments anywhere, feels no exultation and no aversion on encountering the various agreeable and disagreeable* (things of this world). A man’s mind is steady, when he withdraws his senses from (all) objects of sense, as the tortoise (withdraws) its limbs from all sides. Objects of sense withdraw themselves from a person who is abstinent ; not so the taste (for those objects). But even the taste departs from him, when he has seen the Supreme*.. The boisterous senses, O son of Kunti! carry away by force the mind even of a wise man, who exerts himself (for final emancipation). Restraining them all, a man should remain engaged in devotion, making me his only resort. For his mind is steady whose senses are under his control. The man who ponders over objects of sense forms an attachment to them; from (that) attachment is produced desire; and from desire anger is produced*;; from anger results want of discrimination’; from want of discrimination, confusion of the memory; from confusion of the memory, loss of reason; and in consequence of loss of reason he is utterly ruined. But the self-restrained man who moves among* objects with senses under the control of his own self, and free from affection and aversion, obtains tranquillity”. When there is tranquillity, all his miseries are destroyed, for the mind of him whose heart is tranquil soon becomes steady. He who is not self-restrained has no steadiness of mind; nor has he who is not self-restrained perseverance* in the pursuit of self-knowledge; there is no tranquillity for him who does not persevere in the pursuit of self-knowledge; and whence can there be happiness for one who is not tranquil? For the heart which follows the rambling senses leads away his judgment, as the wind leads a boat astray upon the waters. Therefore, O you of mighty arms! his mind is steady whose senses are restrained on all sides from objects of sense. The self-restrained man is awake, when it is night for all beings; and when all beings are awake, that is the night of the right-seeing sage.. He into whom all objects of casting off all desires, lives free from attachments, who is free from egoism1, and from (the feeling that this or that is) mine*,, obtains tranquillity. This, O son of Pṛtha! is the Brahmic* state ; attaining to this, one is never deluded; and remaining in it in (one’s) last moments, one attains (brahma-nirvâṇa) the Brahmic bliss*..
1 Merit merely leads to heaven, as to which see note on last page. Cf. Sutta Nipata, pp. 4, 136, 145 note.
2 Sutta Nipâta, pp. 3-7, &c.
8 Sutta Nipata, p. 21.
4 This, according to Anandagiri, means all writings other than those on the science of the soul.
5 [.e. about the means for the acquisition of various desired things. ”
6 I.e. of the soul (Sankara), of the supreme Being (Sridhara). Substantially they both mean the same thing.
O Dhanañjaya! is far inferior to devotion of the mind. Take refuge in that devotion. Wretched are those who act for the sake of reward. Whoever attains that devotion in this world sheds both merit and sin. Therefore give yourself to devotion; devotion in all actions is wisdom. The wise who have attained devotion cast off the fruit of action, and freed from the shackles of repeated births², they reach that place where there is no unhappiness*. When your mind has passed beyond the stain of delusion, you will become indifferent to all you have heard or will yet hear. When your mind, which has been unsettled by what you have heard⁵, stands firm and steady in contemplation⁶, then you will have attained devotion.
Arjuna said:
What are the marks, O Kesava, of a man whose mind is steady and who is absorbed in contemplation? How does such a man of steady mind speak, how does he sit, how does he move?
The Deity said:
When a man, O son of Pṛtha! abandons all the desires of his heart and finds contentment in his self alone and through his self, he is then called of a steady mind. He whose heart is not shaken in the midst of calamities, who has no longing for pleasures, and from whom the feelings of affection, fear, and wrath have departed, is called a sage of a steady mind. His mind is steady who, being without attachments anywhere, feels neither exultation nor aversion when encountering the various agreeable and disagreeable things of this world. A man's mind is steady when he withdraws his senses from all objects of sense, as the tortoise withdraws its limbs from all sides. Objects of sense withdraw themselves from a person who is abstinent; but not so the taste for those objects. Yet even the taste departs from him when he has seen the Supreme. The boisterous senses, O son of Kunti! carry away by force the mind even of a wise man who exerts himself for final emancipation. Restraining them all, a man should remain engaged in devotion, making me his only resort. For his mind is steady whose senses are under his control. The man who ponders over objects of sense forms an attachment to them; from that attachment desire is produced; and from desire anger is produced; from anger results want of discrimination; from want of discrimination, confusion of the memory; from confusion of the memory, loss of reason; and through loss of reason he is utterly ruined. But the self-restrained man who moves among objects with his senses under the control of his own self, free from affection and aversion, obtains tranquillity. When there is tranquillity, all his miseries are destroyed, for the mind of him whose heart is tranquil soon becomes steady. He who is not self-restrained has no steadiness of mind; nor has he who is not self-restrained any perseverance in the pursuit of self-knowledge; there is no tranquillity for him who does not persevere in the pursuit of self-knowledge; and where can there be happiness for one who is not tranquil? For the heart that follows the rambling senses leads away his judgment, as the wind leads a boat astray upon the waters. Therefore, O you of mighty arms! his mind is steady whose senses are restrained on all sides from objects of sense. The self-restrained man is awake when it is night for all beings; and when all beings are awake, that is the night of the right-seeing sage. He into whom all objects of sense flow, who, casting off all desires, lives free from attachments, who is free from egoism1, and from the feeling that this or that is mine, obtains tranquillity. This, O son of Pṛtha! is the Brahmic state; attaining to this, one is never deluded; and remaining in it in one's last moments, one attains brahma-nirvâṇa, the Brahmic bliss.
1 Merit merely leads to heaven, as to which see note on last page. Cf. Sutta Nipata, pp. 4, 136, 145 note.
2 Sutta Nipâta, pp. 3-7, &c.
8 Sutta Nipata, p. 21.
4 According to Anandagiri, this means all writings other than those on the science of the soul.
5 [i.e. about the means for the acquisition of various desired things.]"
6 That is, of the soul (Sankara), or of the supreme Being (Sridhara). In substance, both mean the same thing.