15

tions, declared in the Sankhya1 (system) as necessary for

the completion of every act.

Seat (of action) the agent, the instrument in each separate kind; the various efforts in their several kinds, and also, as fifth, the divine part.2

The work which a man undertakes by his body, speech, and mind, whether just or the contrary, is caused by these five (conditions).

This being so, he who regards himself as being solely the agent, through an unformed intellect, he, being dull in mind, sees not at all.

The man whose nature is free from egotism, and whose intellect is not sullied (obscured), slays not and is not bound, though he should slay (all) these peoples.

Knowledge, that which is to be known, and the knowing (soul) from the threefold impulse of action. The instrument, the act, the doer, these are the threefold complements of work.

Knowledge, work, and agent are said to be of three kinds, distinguished by their different qualities; hear now what they are according to the qualities.5

1 Sankara strangely refers this word to the Vedanta-sastra, written many centuries after the time of Kapila.

2 The fifth condition would be admitted only by the theistic branch of the Sankhya school. Kapila's system does not recognise any divine interposition. The soul gains its final deliverance by its own powers. Sankara refers this part to the favour of the Adityas and the rest. Śrīd

hara refers the last cause to the assistance or favour (anugraha) of the gods, and to the action of the internal controller or conscience (an

taryāmin). He interprets adhishthāna (place, domain) as the subject body or matter of an action-that which can be acted upon. My copy has adhinamśariram; read adhinamsariram.

3 Because there are other conditions of action beside himself. See c. iii. 27.

4 His acts do not bind him to a future birth. He has risen beyond the power of actions thus to bind

him.

5 The qualities or constituent elements of Nature (Prakṛiti) in the system of Kapila (Introd., p. 10).

20

25

Know that the knowledge by which One Eternal Essence is seen in all creatures, undivided in the divided, is "good."

Know that the knowledge is of "passion" which sees in all things, by reason of their separateness, (only) many existences severally divided.

But that which attaches itself to each single object as if it were the whole, being without reason (c), devoid of truth and mean, that is called "dark."

An action which is necessary, free from attachment, which is done without desire or aversion, and by one who desires no gain therein, is called "good."1

But the action which is done by one who seeks to gain his desires, or from self-conceit, or is attended with great effort, is declared to be of "passion."

If one undertakes a work from delusion, without regarding consequences, or loss or injury (to others), and also one's own power, that is called "dark."

The agent who is free from attachment and egotism, who is endowed with constancy and energy, and is unmoved by good and evil fortune, is called "good.”

The agent who is impassioned, who seeks the fruit of works, who is greedy, injurious, and impure, who feels joy or sorrow, is said to be of "passion."

The agent who is inattentive, vulgar (d), obstinate, deceitful, negligent, slothful, desponding, and dilatory, is called "dark."

Hear now the threefold division of intellect (buddhi) and of constancy, O conqueror of wealth! declared fully and in their separate divisions, according to their qualities. 30 The intellect which knows action and inaction, what

1 See chap. iv. 20-22.

ought to be done and what ought not to be done, fear and fearlessness, and which knows deliverance and bondage, that, O son of Pritha! is "good."

The intellect by which one understands right and wrong, what ought to be done and what ought not to be done but imperfectly (e), that, O son of Pritha! is of "passion."

That which regards right as wrong, being enveloped in darkness, and sees all things in an inverted form, that intellect, O son of Pritha! is "dark."

The constancy by which one controls the actions of the heart, the breath, and the senses, with an unswerving devotion, that, O son of Pritha! is "good."

3

But the constancy by which one holds to duty, desires, and wealth, through attachment, desiring fruit, that is of 'passion," O son of Prithā!

35 The stupid constancy by which one abandons not somnolence, fear, sorrow, despondency, and folly, that, O son of Pritha! is "dark."

Hear now from me, O chief of Bharatas! the threefold kinds of pleasure. That which causes gladness by usage and brings an end to pain;

Which is as poison in the beginning, but is like nectar in the end; that is declared to be "good" pleasure, born from the serenity of one's own mind.

That which is like nectar in the beginning from the

1 What ought to cause fear or not to cause it. Bondage is being confined in some form of matter, and deliverance is absorption into Brahma (nirvāṇa). Sankara explains pravṛitti (action) of objects that are attained by sacred books (sāstras).

2 See chap. iv. 29.

• Śankara says by "the constant

practice of pious meditation;" Śrīdhara says by "an inner withholding from the objects of sense."

4 Even religious acts (dharma), if done with any feeling of desire, do not lead to nirvāņa: they are "bad,” as leading to new material conditions. See chap. xiv. 15.

40

45

connection of sense-objects with the senses, but is as poison in the end, is held to be of "passion."

That pleasure which in the beginning and in the results is the bewilderment of the soul and springs from sleep, idleness, and stupidity, is called "dark."

There is nothing here in earth, nor yet among the gods in heaven, which is free from the three modes which are born of Nature (Prakṛiti).1

The offices (works) of Brahmans, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and of Śūdras, have been apportioned, O slayer of foes! from the modes that prevail in their separate natures.

The office (work) of a Brahman, arising from his proper nature, is sedateness, self-restraint, religious austerities (tapas), purity, patience, rectitude, spiritual knowledge, learning, and (the rites of) faith (religion) (ƒ).

The office of a Kshatriya, born of his proper nature, is heroism, energy, firmness, skill, resolution in battle, liberality, and a ruler's bearing.

The office of a Vaisya, born of his proper nature, is agriculture, tending of cattle, and commerce. The essential office of a Śūdra, born of his proper nature, is servitude.

The man who is content with his own work, whatever it may be, attains to perfection. Learn now how the man attains perfection who is content with his own work.2

In giving honour, by his proper work, to Him who is the source of all things that exist and by whom this whole (universe) was spread out, a man obtains perfection. Better is one's own work, though faulty, than another's

1 See Introduction, p. 10.

2 Sansiddhi, perfection, is explained by Sankara and Śrīdhara as implying aptitude for the state of know

ledge, i.e., spiritual knowledge, the knowledge of Brahma. See distich 50 infra.

50

work well done. He who does the work imposed upon him by his own nature incurs no sin.

No one may abandon his natural work, even though evil, O son of Kunti! for every enterprise is surrounded by evil, as fire by smoke.

He whose mind is unattached, self-subdued in every part, in whom desire is dead, attains to the supreme perfection of freedom from all work by renunciation.2

Learn from me in brief, O son of Kunti! how one who has obtained perfection attains to Brahma, the supreme seat of knowledge.

He who is devoted (yukta) by means of a purified mind, who has subdued himself by resolution, has renounced sound and other objects of sense, and has cast out desire and hatred; 3

Who dwells in a lonely spot, eats but little, restrains speech, body, and heart (manas), is constantly intent on devotion by meditation, and has attained to freedom from passion;

Who is freed from self-conceit, violence, pride, lust, wrath, and all surroundings (g); who is without selfishness and is tranquil in mind,—he is formed to be one with Brahma.

Being one with Brahma, calm in spirit, he neither mourns nor desires; being the same to all things, he attains to supreme devotion to Me.

1 In the conflict of duties, our proper work, i.e., the work assigned to us by caste, must be held as supreme. 2 By rest from work may be meant work done without attachment, for such actions are not properly our own; they are wrought by the modes of Nature (Prakriti). See chap. iv. 19.

3 See chap. iv. 26.

4 To be one with Brahma means here to be united with him by a fixed concentration of the soul in devotion (see chap. vii. 29). It is to be "entirely fixed in Brahma " (Śrīdhara); "who has attained to Brahma" (Śankara).