Karma Yoga

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31. Men who constantly practise this teaching of Mine with faith and without

cavilling, they too are liberated from actions.

 

32. But those who, carping at this, My teaching, practise it not - know them as

deluded in all knowledge, as senseless men doomed to destruction.

 

33. Even the man of knowledge acts in conformity with his own nature; (all)

beings follow (their) nature; what shall coercion avail ?

 

34. Love and hate lie towards the object of each sense; let none become subject

to these two; for, they are his enemies.

 

35. Better one's own duty, though devoid of merit, than the duty of another well

discharged. Better is death in one's own duty; the duty of another is productive

of danger.

 

ARJUNA SAID:

 

36. But by what dragged on, O Varshneya, does a man, though reluctant, commit

sin, as if constrained by force ?

 

THE BLESSED LORD SAID:

 

37. It is desire, it is wrath, born of the energy of Rajas, all-devouring, all

sinful; that, know thou, is the foe here.

 

38. As fire is surrounded by smoke, as a mirror by rust, as the foetus is

enclosed in the womb, so is this covered by it.

 

39. Covered, O son of Kunti, is wisdom by this constant enemy of the wise, in

the form of desire, which is greedy and insatiable.

 

40. The senses, mind and reason are said to be its seat; veiling wisdom through

these, it deludes the embodied.

 

41. Therefore, O lord of the Bharatas, restrain the senses first, do thou cast

off this sinful thing which is destructive of knowledge and wisdom.

 

42. They say that the senses are superior; superior to the senses is mind;

superior to mind is reason; one who is even superior to reason is He.

 

43. Then knowing Him who is superior to reason, subduing the self by the self,

slay thou, O mighty-armed, the enemy in the form of desire, hard to conquer.