Bhagavad-Gita-Sara: The Essence of the Gita

Verse 1 (garuda.1.237.1)

श्रीबगवानुवाच । गीतासारं प्रवक्ष्यामि अर्जुनायोदितं पुरा । अष्टाङ्गयोगयुक्तात्मा सर्ववेदान्तपारगः

śrībagavānuvāca gītāsāraṁ pravakṣyāmi arjunāyoditaṁ purā aṣṭāṅgayogayuktātmā sarvavedāntapāragaḥ

The Blessed Lord said: I shall declare the essence of the Gita, spoken formerly to Arjuna. For the self joined to the eightfold yoga, who has mastered all Vedanta —

Verse 2 (garuda.1.237.2)

आत्मलाभः परो नान्य अत्मदेहादिवर्जितः । हीनरूपादिदेहान्तः करणत्वादिलोचनः

ātmalābhaḥ paro nānya atmadehādivarjitaḥ hīnarūpādidehāntaḥ karaṇatvādilocanaḥ

— the attainment of the Self is the supreme goal, not other than it, free of the body and the rest. The body is of inferior form, ending merely in the sense-organs and eyes.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.237.3)

बिज्ञानरहितः प्राणः सुषुप्तौ हि प्रतीयते । नाहमात्मा च दुः खादिसंसारादिसमन्वयात्

bijñānarahitaḥ prāṇaḥ suṣuptau hi pratīyate nāhamātmā ca duḥ khādisaṁsārādisamanvayāt

In deep sleep, the vital breath is indeed found devoid of consciousness; yet, because of its connection with suffering and worldly existence, mere breath is not the true Self.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.237.4)

विधूम इव दीप्तार्चिरादीप्त (दित्य) इव दीप्तिमान् । वैद्युतोऽग्निरिवाकाशे हृत्सङ्गे आत्मनात्मनि

vidhūma iva dīptārcirādīpta (ditya) iva dīptimān vaidyuto'gnirivākāśe hṛtsaṅge ātmanātmani

The Self is like a smokeless, blazing flame, radiant like the sun, like lightning-fire in the sky — known, in the intimacy of the heart, by the Self within the self.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.237.5)

श्रोत्रादीनि न पश्यन्ति स्वंस्वमात्मानमात्मना । सर्वज्ञः सर्वदर्शो च क्षेत्रज्ञस्तानि पश्यन्ति

śrotrādīni na paśyanti svaṁsvamātmānamātmanā sarvajñaḥ sarvadarśo ca kṣetrajñastāni paśyanti

The ear and other senses do not see their own respective selves by themselves; but the omniscient, all-seeing knower of the field sees them all.

Verse 6 (garuda.1.237.6)

यदा प्रकाशते ह्यात्मा पटे दीपो ज्वलन्निव । ज्ञानमुत्पद्यते पुंसां क्षयात्पापस्य कर्मणः

yadā prakāśate hyātmā paṭe dīpo jvalanniva jñānamutpadyate puṁsāṁ kṣayātpāpasya karmaṇaḥ

When the Self shines forth, like a lamp burning and illuminating a cloth, knowledge arises in men through the destruction of sinful karma.

Verse 7 (garuda.1.237.7)

यथादर्शतलप्रख्ये पश्यत्यात्मानमात्मनि । इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थांश्च महाभूतानि पञ्चकम्

yathādarśatalaprakhye paśyatyātmānamātmani indriyāṇīndriyārthāṁśca mahābhūtāni pañcakam

As in the surface of a mirror, one sees the Self within the Self, and likewise sees the senses, the objects of the senses, and the five great elements —

Verse 8 (garuda.1.237.8)

मनोबुद्धिरहङ्कारमव्यक्तं पुरुषं तथा । प्रसंख्याय परंव्याप्तो विमुक्तो बन्धवैर्भवेत्

manobuddhirahaṅkāramavyaktaṁ puruṣaṁ tathā prasaṁkhyāya paraṁvyāpto vimukto bandhavairbhavet

— the mind, intellect, ego, the unmanifest, and the Purusha likewise — having discriminated these, pervaded by the Supreme, one is freed from bonds.

Verse 9 (garuda.1.237.9)

इन्द्रियग्राममखिलं मनसाभिनिवेश्य च । मनश्चैवाप्यहङ्कारे प्रतिष्ठाप्य च पाण्डव

indriyagrāmamakhilaṁ manasābhiniveśya ca manaścaivāpyahaṅkāre pratiṣṭhāpya ca pāṇḍava

O Pandava, having absorbed the entire host of senses into the mind, and having established the mind itself in the ego,

Verse 10 (garuda.1.237.10)

अहं कारं तथा बुद्धौ बुद्धिं च प्रकृतावपि । प्रकृतिं पुरुषे स्थाप्य पुरुषं ब्रह्मणि न्यसेत्

ahaṁ kāraṁ tathā buddhau buddhiṁ ca prakṛtāvapi prakṛtiṁ puruṣe sthāpya puruṣaṁ brahmaṇi nyaset

— and the ego in the intellect, and the intellect in Prakriti, and having established Prakriti in Purusha, one should place Purusha in Brahman.

Verse 11 (garuda.1.237.11)

अहं बह्म परं ज्योतिः प्रसंख्याय विमुच्यते । नवद्वारमिदं गेहं तिसृणांपञ्चसाक्षिकम्

ahaṁ bahma paraṁ jyotiḥ prasaṁkhyāya vimucyate navadvāramidaṁ gehaṁ tisṛṇāṁpañcasākṣikam

'I am Brahman, the supreme light' — thus having discriminated, one is liberated. This nine-gated house is witnessed by the three states and the five elements.

Verse 12 (garuda.1.237.12)

क्षेत्रज्ञाधिष्ठितं विद्वान्यो वेद स वरः कविः । अश्वमेधसहस्राणि वाजपेयशतानि च । ज्ञानयज्ञस्य सर्वाणि कलां नार्हन्ति षोच्शीम्

kṣetrajñādhiṣṭhitaṁ vidvānyo veda sa varaḥ kaviḥ aśvamedhasahasrāṇi vājapeyaśatāni ca jñānayajñasya sarvāṇi kalāṁ nārhanti ṣocśīm

He who, being wise, knows this as governed by the knower of the field — he is the best of sages. Thousands of Ashvamedha sacrifices, and hundreds of Vajapeya sacrifices, are not worth even a sixteenth part of the sacrifice of knowledge.