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Arguna said :
O Krishna! you praise renunciation of actions and also the pursuit (of them). Tell me determinately which one of these two is superior.
The Deity said :
Renunciation and pursuit of action are both instruments of happiness. But of the two, pursuit of action is superior to renunciation of action. He should be understood to be always an ascetic 1, who has no aversion and no desire. For, O you of mighty arms! he who is free from the pairs of opposites is easily released from (all) bonds. Children--not wise men--talk of sankhya and yoga as distinct. One who pursues either well obtains the fruit of both. The seat which the sânkhyas obtain is reached by the yogas 2 also. He sees (truly), who sees the sânkhya and yoga as one. Renunciation, O you of mighty arms! is difficult to reach without devotion; the sage possessed of devotion attains Brahman 3 without delay. He who is possessed of devotion, whose self is pure, who has restrained his self 4, and who has controlled his senses, and who identifies his self with every being, is not tainted though he performs (actions). The man of devotion, who knows the truth, thinks he does nothing at all, when he sees 5, hears, touches, smells, eats, move-b, sleeps, breathes, talks, throws out 6, takes, opens or closes the eyelids; he holds that the senses deal with the objects of the senses. He who, casting off (all) attachment, performs actions dedicating them to Brahman, is not tainted by sin, as the lotus-leaf 7 (is not tainted) by water. Devotees, casting off attachment, perform actions for attaining purity of self, with the body, the mind, the understanding, or even the senses 8--(all) free (from egoistic notions). He who is possessed of devotion, abandoning the fruit of actions, attains the highest tranquillity.
Foot Notes :
1. I. e. one who has performed 'renunciation.'
2. Those who follow the yoga 'path.' The form is noteworthy, grammatically.
3. I. e. 'attains true renunciation,' says Sankara; Srîdhara says, 'attains Brahman, after becoming a "renouncer."'
4. Here self is explained as body; in the line which goes before it is explained as heart.
5. These are the various operations of the organs of perception, action, &c.
6. Excretions, &c.
7. A very common simile. Cf. inter alia Khândogya-upanishad, Sutta Nipâta, and Davids' Buddhism,
8. Body = bathing, &c.; mind = meditation, &c.; understanding = ascertainment of truth; senses = hearing and celebrating God's name.
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