SECTION XXX
[(Bhagavad Gita Chapter VI)]
"The Holy One said,--'Regardless of fruit of action, he that performs the
actions which should be performed, is a renouncer and devotee, and not
one who discards the (sacrificial) fire, nor one that abstains from
action.[191] That which has been called renunciation, know that, O son of
Pandu, to be devotion, since nobody can be a devotee who has not
renounced (all) resolves.[192] To the sage desirous of rising to
devotion, action is said to be the means; and when he has risen to
devotion, cessation of action is said to be the means. When one is no
longer attached to the objects of the senses, nor to actions, and when
one renounces all resolves, then is. One said to have risen to devotion.
One should raise (his ) self by self; one should not degrade (his) self;
for one's own self is one's friend, and one's own self is one's
enemy.[193] To him (only) who has subjugated his self by his self is self
a friend. But to him who has not subjugated his self, his self behaves
inimically like an enemy. The soul of one who has subjugated his self and
who is in the enjoyment of tranquillity, is steadily fixed (on itself)
amid cold and heat, pleasure and pain, and also honour and dishonour.
That ascetic is said to be devoted whose mind is satisfied with knowledge
and experience, who hath no affection, who hath subjugated his senses,
and to whom a sod, a stone and gold are alike. He, who views equally
well-wishers, friends, foes, strangers that are indifferent to him, those
who take part with both sides, those who are objects of aversion, those
who are related (to him), those who are good, and those who are wicked,
is distinguished (above all others). A devotee should always fix his mind
on contemplation, remaining in a secluded place alone, restraining both
mind and body, without expectations (of any kind), and without concern
(with anything).[194] Erecting his seat immovably on a clean spot, not
too high nor too low, and spreading over it a piece of cloth, a
deer-skin, or blades of Kusa grass, and there seated on that seat, with
mind fixed on one object, and restraining the functions of the heart and
the senses, one should practise contemplation for the purification of
self. Holding body, head, and neck even, unmoved and steady, and casting
his glance on the tip of his nose, and without looking about in any of
the different directions, with mind in tranquillity, freed from fear,
observant of the practices of Brahmacharins, restraining the mind, with
heart fixed on me, the devotee should sit down, regarding me as the
object of his attainment. Thus applying his soul constantly, the devotee
whose heart is restrained, attains to that tranquillity which culminates
in final absorption and assimilation with me. Devotion is not one's, O
Arjuna, who eateth much, nor one's who doth not eat at all; nor one's who
is addicted to too much sleep, nor one's who is always awake, devotion
that is destructive of misery is his who is temperate in food and
amusements, who duly exerts himself temperately in all his works, and who
is temperate in sleep and vigils. When one's heart, properly restrained,
is fixed on one's own self, then, indifferent to all objects of desire,
he is one called a devotee.[195] As a lamp in a windless spot doth not
flicker, even that is the resemblance declared of a devotee whose heart
hath been restrained and who applieth his self to abstraction. That
(condition) in which the mind, restrained by practice of abstraction,
taketh rest, in which beholding self by self, one is gratified within
self; in which one experienceth that highest felicity which is beyond the
(sphere of the) senses and which the understanding (only) can grasp, and
fixed on which one never swerveth from the truth; acquiring which one
regards no other acquisition greater than it, and abiding in which one is
never moved by even the heaviest sorrow; that (Condition) should be known
to be what is called devotion in which there is a severance of connection
with pain. That devotion should be practised with perseverance and with
an undesponding heart.[196] Renouncing all desires without exception that
are born of resolves, restraining the group of the senses on all sides by
mind alone, one should, by slow degrees, become quiescent (aided) by
(his) understanding controlled by patience, and then directing his mind
to self should think of nothing.[197] Wheresoever the mind, which is (by
nature) restless and unsteady, may run, restraining it from those, one
should direct it to self alone. Indeed, unto such a devotee whose mind is
in tranquillity, whose passions have been suppressed, who hath become one
with Brahma and who is free from sin, the highest felicity cometh (of his
own accord). Thus applying his soul constantly (to abstraction), the
devotee, freed from sin, easily obtaineth that highest happiness, viz.,
with Brahma. He who hath devoted his self to abstraction casting an equal
eye everywhere, beholdeth his self in all creatures and all creatures in
his self. Unto him who beholdeth me in everything and beholdeth
everything in me. I am never lost and he also is never lost to me.[198]
He who worshippeth me as abiding in all creatures, holding yet that all
is one, is a devotee, and whatever mode of life he may lead, he liveth in
me. That devotee, O Arjuna, who casteth an equal eye everywhere,
regarding all things as his own self and the happiness and misery of
others as his own, is deemed to be the best.'
"Arjuna said, 'This devotion by means of equanimity which you hast
declared, O slayer of Madhu,--on account of restlessness of the mind I do
not see its stable presence.[199] O Krishna, the mind is restless,
boisterous, perverse, and obstinate. Its restraint I regard to be as
difficult of accomplishment as the restraint of the wind.'
"The Holy One said, 'Without doubt, O you of mighty arms the mind is
difficult of subjugation and is restless. With practice, however, O son
of Kunti, and with the abandonment of desire, it can be controlled. It is
my belief that by him whose mind is not restrained, devotion is difficult
of acquisition. But by one whose mind is restrained and who is assiduous,
it is capable of acquisition with the aid of means.'
"Arjuna said, 'Without assiduity, though endued with faith, and with mind
shaken off from devotion, what is the end of him, O Krishna, who hath not
earned success in devotion? Fallen off from both,[200] is he lost like a
separated cloud or not, being as he is without refuge, O you of mighty
arms, and deluded on the path leading to Brahma? This my doubt, O
Krishna, it behoveth you to remove without leaving anything. Besides
thee, no dispeller of this doubt is to be had.[201]
"The Holy One said, 'O son of Pritha, neither here, nor hereafter, doth
ruin exist for him, since none, O sire, who performs good (acts) comes by
an evil end. Attaining to the regions reserved for those that perform
meritorious acts and living there for many many years, he that hath
fallen off from devotion taketh birth in the abode of those that art
pious and endued with prosperity, or, he is born even in the family of
devotees endued with intelligence. Indeed, a birth such as this is more
difficult of acquisition in this world. There in those births he
obtaineth contact with that Brahmic knowledge which was his in his former
life; and from that point he striveth again, O descendant of Kuru,
towards perfection. And although unwilling, he still worketh on in
consequence of that same former practice of his. Even one that enquireth
of devotion riseth above (the fruits of) the Divine Word.-[202] Striving
with great efforts, the devotee, cleaned of all his sins, attaineth to
perfection after many births, and then reacheth the supreme goal. The
devotee is superior to ascetics engaged in austerities; he is esteemed to
be superior to even the man of knowledge. The devotee is superior to
those that are engaged in action. Therefore, become a devotee, O Arjuna.
Even amongst all the devotees, he who, full of faith and with inner self
resting on me, worshippeth me, is regarded by me to be the most devout."
--------------------END OF PARVA 6 : UPA-PARVA 30 ---------------------
