Spirituality Quotes

 
Excerpts from The Holy Srimad Bhagvadgeeta

 

Backdrop: It is the opening of the actual discourse in Srimad Bhagvadgeeta. Up to this point Arjuna has shown his incapacity to fight with his own kinsmen. He has offered all his emotional and scriptural reasons against the war. Lord Krishna has, on occasions tried to convince him so far in a mild manner. But hereon “The Lord” has taken command and the real flow of “The Geeta” starts from here. 

Chapter 2 in Srimad Bhagvadgeeta is entitled “Sankhya Yoga(Yoga of  the logical thought process in philosophy)”

Annotation: ||Chapter.Verse No.||

Lord Krishna said (to Arjuna):

अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे ।

       गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः ॥2.11॥

aśōcyānanvaśōcastvaṅ prajñāvādāṅśca bhāṣasē.

gatāsūnagatāsūṅśca nānuśōcanti paṇḍitāḥ৷৷2.11৷৷

 “You grieve for those who do not deserve to be grieved for. Yet, you speak like a wise man. Men of wisdom do not grieve for the alive or dead.”

न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः ।

      न चैव न भविष्यामः सर्वे वयमतः परम्‌ ॥2.12॥

na tvēvāhaṅ jātu nāsaṅ na tvaṅ nēmē janādhipāḥ.

           na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ sarvē vayamataḥ param৷৷2.12৷৷

“There was never a time when I, you, or these kings were not there in the past. Nor will there be a time when all of us will cease to be present” 

 

देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा ।

      तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति ॥2.13॥

dēhinō.sminyathā dēhē kaumāraṅ yauvanaṅ jarā.

    tathā dēhāntaraprāptirdhīrastatra na muhyati৷৷2.13৷৷ 

“Just as the embodied soul passes through the stages of childhood, youth, and old age in this body, in the same way, it passes into another body. A man of firm conviction is not perturbed by it”.

 

मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः ।

          आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ॥2.14॥

mātrāsparśāstu kauntēya śītōṣṇasukhaduḥkhadāḥ.

āgamāpāyinō.nityāstāṅstitikṣasva bhārata৷৷2.14৷৷ 

“The heat and cold; pains and pleasures, born of the contact of senses with their objects are temporary. O son of Bharata, endure them bravely”. 

 

यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ ।

            समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते ॥2.15॥

yaṅ hi na vyathayantyētē puruṣaṅ puruṣarṣabha.

         samaduḥkhasukhaṅ dhīraṅ sō.mṛtatvāya kalpatē৷৷2.15৷৷ 

“O great among men, the men of firm conviction who are equipoised in pleasure and pain, deserve liberation”.

नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः ।

          उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्वदर्शिभिः ॥2.16॥

nāsatō vidyatē bhāvō nābhāvō vidyatē sataḥ.

             ubhayōrapi dṛṣṭō.ntastvanayōstattvadarśibhiḥ৷৷2.16৷৷

 “The Truth never ceases to be and the unreal has no existence. The essence of both has thus been seen by the Seers Of Truth”.

 

अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम्‌ ।

          विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित्कर्तुमर्हति ॥2.17॥

avināśi tu tadviddhi yēna sarvamidaṅ tatam.

             vināśamavyayasyāsya na kaśicat kartumarhati৷৷2.17৷৷

“Know that to be indestructible which permeates the entire creation. None can destroy that Imperishable existence”.

 

अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः ।

       अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत ॥2.18॥

antavanta imē dēhā nityasyōktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ.

                 anāśinō.pramēyasya tasmādyudhyasva bhārata৷৷2.18৷৷

 “All these bodies of the Jivatma (eternal individual self) come to an end. The Real Self is eternal and indestructible. Therefore, you engage in the fight Bharata (Arjuna)".

 

य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम्‌ ।

              उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते ॥2.19॥

ya ēnaṅ vētti hantāraṅ yaścainaṅ manyatē hatam.

    ubhau tau na vijānītō nāyaṅ hanti na hanyatē৷৷2.19৷৷

 “Those who consider the Self as killer or killed, both do not know. The Self in fact never kills nor gets killed”.

 

न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचि-न्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः ।

अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो-न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ॥2.20॥

na jāyatē mriyatē vā kadāci-nnāyaṅ bhūtvā bhavitā vā na bhūyaḥ.

ajō nityaḥ śāśvatō.yaṅ purāṇō na hanyatē hanyamānē śarīrē৷৷2.20৷৷

“The Self (Jivatma) is not born, nor ever dies. It never ceases to be. It is eternal and timeless in existence. It is not killed when the body is killed”.

वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम्‌ ।

               कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम्‌ ॥2.21॥

vēdāvināśinaṅ nityaṅ ya ēnamajamavyayam.

kathaṅ sa puruṣaḥ pārtha kaṅ ghātayati hanti kam৷৷2.21৷৷ 

“O Partha (Arjuna), how can the one who knows Him (Self) be unborn, eternal and, indestructible; ever kill or be killed”.

 

वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय नवानि गृह्णाति नरोऽपराणि ।

           तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णा-न्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही ॥2.22॥

vāsāṅsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya navāni gṛhṇāti narō.parāṇi.

tathā śarīrāṇi vihāya jīrṇā-nyanyāni saṅyāti navāni dēhī৷৷2.22৷৷ 

“Just as a man takes off the old clothes and puts on new ones, in the same way, The Self leaves the old body and enters a new one at the time of death”.

 

नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः ।

         न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः ॥2.23॥

nainaṅ chindanti śastrāṇi nainaṅ dahati pāvakaḥ.

na cainaṅ klēdayantyāpō na śōṣayati mārutaḥ৷৷2.23৷৷ 

“This self is not, pierced by weapons, burnt by fire, drenched by water or dried by the wind”.

 

अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च ।

     नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः ॥2.24॥

acchēdyō.yamadāhyō.yamaklēdyō.śōṣya ēva ca.

nityaḥ sarvagataḥ sthāṇuracalō.yaṅ sanātanaḥ৷৷2.24৷৷ 

“The Self cannot be cut, burnt, drenched, or dried. It is eternal, all-pervading, immovable and everlasting”.

 

अव्यक्तोऽयमचिन्त्योऽयमविकार्योऽयमुच्यते ।

तस्मादेवं विदित्वैनं नानुशोचितुमर्हसि॥2.25॥

avyaktō.yamacintyō.yamavikāryō.yamucyatē.

tasmādēvaṅ viditvainaṅ nānuśōcitumarhasi৷৷2.25৷৷ 

“The Self is unmanifest, incomprehensible, without defects and, qualities. Knowing this, as such, you should not grieve”.

अथ चैनं नित्यजातं नित्यं वा मन्यसे मृतम्‌ ।

       तथापि त्वं महाबाहो नैवं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥2.26॥

atha cainaṅ nityajātaṅ nityaṅ vā manyasē mṛtam.

    tathāpi tvaṅ mahābāhō naivaṅ śōcitumarhasi৷৷2.26৷৷

“But even if you consider the Self subject to birth and death, you should not grieve”.

 

जातस्त हि ध्रुवो मृत्युर्ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च ।

         तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥2.27॥

jātasya hi dhruvō mṛtyurdhruvaṅ janma mṛtasya ca.

                            tasmādaparihāryē.rthē na tvaṅ śōcitumarhasi৷৷2.27৷৷ 

“For the death of the born and birth of the dead is certain. You should, therefore, not grieve for the inevitable”.

 

अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत ।

  अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना ॥2.28॥

avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyaktamadhyāni bhārata.

    avyaktanidhanānyēva tatra kā paridēvanā৷৷2.28৷৷

 “All beings are unmanifest before birth and after death. They are manifest only in the middle of birth and death. Why should you grieve then, O Bharata(Arjuna)”.

 

आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति कश्चिदेन-माश्चर्यवद्वदति तथैव चान्यः ।

           आश्चर्यवच्चैनमन्यः श्रृणोति श्रुत्वाप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित्‌ ॥2.29॥

āścaryavatpaśyati kaśicadēna- māścaryavadvadati tathaiva cānyaḥ.

          āścaryavaccainamanyaḥ śrṛṇōti śrutvāpyēnaṅ vēda na caiva aśicat৷৷2.29৷৷

 “Some see It as a wonder, others describe It as a wonder, yet others hear It as a wonder. Still, nobody understands It”.

 

देही नित्यमवध्योऽयं देहे सर्वस्य भारत ।

             तस्मात्सर्वाणि भूतानि न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ॥2.30॥

dēhī nityamavadhyō.yaṅ dēhē sarvasya bhārata.

     tasmātsarvāṇi bhūtāni na tvaṅ śōcitumarhasi৷৷2.30৷৷ 

“This soul(Self) is indestructible in all beings, O Bharata. Therefore, there is no reason for you to grieve for any creature”.

 

सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ ।

       ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि ॥2.38॥

sukhaduḥkhē samē kṛtvā lābhālābhau jayājayau.

         tatō yuddhāya yujyasva naivaṅ pāpamavāpsyasi৷৷2.38৷৷

 

“Make pains and pleasures, loss and gains, victory and defeat same for yourself. Thus engaging in battle for the sake of battle shall not incur sin for you”.

Karma-Yoga

यनेहाभिक्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवातो न विद्यते ।

       स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात्‌ ॥2.40॥

nēhābhikramanāśō.sti pratyavāyō na vidyatē.

                 svalpamapyasya dharmasya trāyatē mahatō bhayāt৷৷2.40৷৷

 

In Karma-yoga, there is no loss of efforts, nor is any harm. Even a little practice of this yoga saves one from great fears.

 

व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन ।

              बहुशाका ह्यनन्ताश्च बुद्धयोऽव्यवसायिनाम्‌ ॥2.41॥

vyavasāyātmikā buddhirēkēha kurunandana.

                 bahuśākhā hyanantāśca buddhayō.vyavasāyinām৷৷2.41৷৷

 

In this yoga there is a one-pointed resolve. Irresolute men have multi-pronged and indeterminate minds.

 

यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः ।

         वेदवादरताः पार्थ नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः ॥2.42॥

yāmimāṅ puṣpitāṅ vācaṅ pravadantyavipaśicataḥ.

vēdavādaratāḥ pārtha nānyadastīti vādinaḥ৷৷2.42৷৷

 

कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम्‌ ।

     क्रियाविश्लेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति ॥2.43॥

kāmātmānaḥ svargaparā janmakarmaphalaprad

  kriyāviśēṣabahulāṅ bhōgaiśvaryagatiṅ prati৷৷2.43৷৷

 

भोगैश्वर्यप्रसक्तानां तयापहृतचेतसाम्‌ ।

                 व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः समाधौ न विधीयते ॥2.44॥

bhōgaiśvaryaprasaktānāṅ tayāpahṛtacētasām.

               vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ samādhau na vidhīyatē৷৷2.44৷৷

 

Men utter flowery words quoting Vedas, prompted by the desire for the Heaven and its pleasures. But that results only in their rebirth. They are not resolute and fit for Samadhi (salvation).

 

यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः सम्प्लुतोदके ।

          तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः ॥2.46॥

yāvānartha udapānē sarvataḥ saṅplutōdakē.

          tāvānsarvēṣu vēdēṣu brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ৷৷2.46৷৷

 

Vedas have as much relevance to the one who knows his real SELF, as much is the relevance of a small pond when there is flood all around.