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“ I wish to learn, 0 great-armed one ! the nature of renunciation (of actions), and of disinterestedness (in actions), Krishna, separately, 0 slayer of Keshin !” COMMENTARY. MIND. You have said much of renunciation and disinterestedness in ac- tion — be good enough to explain this. TEXT. KRISHNA SPOKE. “The sages know that the rejection of (all) actions which have a desired object is Renunciation. The learned call the disregard of the fruit of every action, disinterestedness. Some wise men say, ‘ An action must be avoided like a crime and others say, 6 The action in sacrifice, almsgiving, and mortification should not be avoided.’ Hear my decision in this matter as to disinterestedness, 0 best of the Bharatas ! For it is said, 0 first of men ! to be of three kinds. The action in sacrifice, alms- giving, and mortification should not be avoided. It should be practised only. Sacrifice, alms, and also mortification, are the purifications of the wise. But such actions, indeed, must be practised after having rejected selfish interests and their consequences. Such, 0 son of Prithd ! is my certain and supreme decision. Again, the renunciation Y>f a necessary action is not right. The rejection of such an action is said to be from folly, and of the. quality of indifference. If one abandon any action, merely alleging that it is difficult, from fear of personal annoyance, he BHAGAVAD-G1TA. CHArTEH THE EIGHTEENTH. 77 practises renunciation under tlie influence of badness, and wWd not receive the reward of renunciation. If one perform a necessary action, convinced that it must be done, Arjuna, putting aside self-interest and the fruit also (of his action), that disinterestedness is deemed good. The disinterested man, filled with goodness and with contemplation, and free from doubts, is not averse to unprosperous, nor attached to prosperous action. For it is impossible for actions to be entirely abandoned by a mortal ; but he who is not interested in the result of actions is called disinterested. The result of actions of three kinds — unwished for, wished for, and mixed — accrues .after death to those who do not renounce actions, but not any result to those who do renounce. Learn from me, O hero ! the following five principles of action declared in the Sankliya (doctrine), and necessary for the completion of every action — the prescribed method, the agent, and the instrument of tlie particular description required) the different movements of the particular kind for each, and Divine will also as the fifth. These five requisites (attend) every action which a man undertakes, whether proper or improper, with his body, his voice, and his heart. This being, thus, lie who regards himself only as the actor, by reason of his mental imperfections, is wrong-minded, and does not really see aright. He whose disposition is not egotistical, and whose mind is not polluted, does not kill, even though he slay yonder people, nor is implicated (in the bonds of action). Knowledge, the thing to be known, and the person who knows constitute the threefold incitement to action. The instrument, tlie act, and the agent are the threefold collection of action. Knowledge, and the act, and the agent, are also declared in three ways, according to the difference of the three qualities. Hear these also, properly, in the enumeration of the qualities. Know that that knowledge by which one perceives a single imperishable prin- ciple of existence in all things, not separate in separate objects, is good. But that knowledge which perceives in all .things, on account of then- individuality, various individual principles of existence, is bad. But that knowledge which attaches to one object (to be performed), as if it were everything, and does not recognize the true cause (of existence), which is not possessed of the real truth, and is mean, is called indifferent That action which is necessary, free from self-interest, done without love or hatred by one who is regardless of its reward, is said to be a[good action. 78 BIIAGAVAD-GlTA. CHAPTER THE EIGHTEENTH. But that action which is performed with great exertion, by one who desires some pleasant object, or, again, is egotistical, is called a bad one. One undertakes an action from folly, without regarding the consequences, the loss, the harm (it may do), and his own power (to carry it out), — that is called indifferent. (One who acts) free from self-interest, without self- praise, with perseverance and resolution, and unchanged in success and failure alike, is called a good agent. (One who acts) with passion, who is desirous of the reward of his actions, covetous, cruel by nature, impure, liable to joy and grief, is proclaimed to be a bad agent. (One who acts) without ability, without discrimination, who is obstinate, negligent, slothful, desponding, and dilatory, is called an indifferent agent. Hear the distribution of intellect and also of perseverance into three parts, according to the qualities, explained in full and separately, O despiser of wealth ! The intellect which comprehends the nature of action and of cessation from action, and what should be done and what not, danger and security, and understands implication by actions and liberation from it, is a good intellect, 0 son of Pritha ! That intellect by which one takes a wrong view of right and wrong, of what should he done and what not, is a bad intellect, 0 son of Pritha ! The intellect which thinks wrong to be right, enveloped in obscurity, and believing all things to he just the contrary (of what they are), is an indifferent intellect, 0 son of Pritha ! The perseverance by means of which one resists the actions of the heart, the breath, and the senses, with exclusive devotion, is good perseverance, 0 son of Pritha ! But the perseverance with which one cherishes, from self-interest only, duty, pleasure, and wealth, being de- sirous of their fruits, is bad perseverance, 0 son of Pritha ! The per- severance by which one fails, with foolish mind, to shake off sleep, fear, anxiety, despondency, and also rashness, is indifferent perseverance, O son of Pritha! But now learn from me the three kinds of pleasure, O chief of the Bharatas ! That in which one experiences delight, from being habituated, and arrives at an end to pain — whatever is first like poison, but in the end similar to ambrosia, is called good pleasure, sprung from the serenity of one’s mind. Whatever is at first like ambrosia, from tSe connection of the senses with the objects of sense, but in the end is like poison, is called bad pleasure. And that pleasure which, both at first and in its consequences, is a cause of the bewilderment of the soul, BllAU AVAD-CUTA. CUAl’TER THE EIGHTEENTH. 71) arising from sleep, sloth, or carelessness, is called indifferent pleasure. There is no nature on earth, or again among the gods in heaven, which is free from these three qualities, which are bom of nature. The offices of Br&hmans, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, 0 harrasser of thy foes ! arc distributed according to the qualities which predominate in the dispositions of each. Tranquillity, continence, mortification, purity, patience, and also rectitude, spiritual knowledge, and spiritual discern- ment, belief in the existence of another world, comprise the office of a Brahman, sprung from his disposition. Valour, glory, strength, firm- ness, ability in warfare, and also keeping one’s ground, liberality, and a lordly character, are the office of a Ksliatriya, sprung from his disposi- tion. Agriculture, hcrdiiig of kinc, and commerce are the office of a Vaishya, sprung from his disposition. Servitude is the peculiar office of a Shudra, sprung from his disposition. Each man who is satisfied with his own office attains perfection. Now hear how he attains perfection, if satisfied with his own office. If a man worship him from whom all things have their origin, and by whom all this universe is created, by performing his own duty, lie- attains perfection. It is better to perform one’s own duty, even though it be devoid of excellence, than (to perform) another’s duty well. He who fulfils the office obligated by his own nature docs not incur sin. One should not reject the duty to which one is born, even if it be associated with error, for all (human) undertakings are involved in error, as fire is by smoke. He whose thoughts arc not attached (to the world), who is self-governed in everything, and free from desires, attains, by means of renunciation, the highest perfection of freedom from action. Learn from me, merely briefly, how one who has attained perfection attains to the Supreme Being, which is the highest condition of spiritual knowledge. Gifted with a pure mind, and restrain- ing himself with perseverance, having rejected (the charms of) sound and the other objects of the senses, and cast oft* love and hate, frequenting solitary places, eating little, having subdued his body and his heart, intent on the practice of contemplation, always endowed with apathy— When ho has cast away egotism, violence, pride, desire, anger, and avarice, and is free from selfishness and calm, — he is fitted for the condition of the Supreme Being. When he* is in a condition for the Supreme Being, and his spirit is serene, he neither regrets nor hopes. 80 BHAGAVAD-GiTi. CHAPTER THE EIGHTEENTH. Alike to all beings, he attains to the highest state of devotion to me. By means of this devotion, he learns truly how great and what I am. And when he has learned to know me truly, he enters me without any intermediate condition. And though at any time he perform any kind of action, if he flees for refuge to me, lie attains, by my grace, the eternal imperishable region.