Unit 1 Assignment.htmlAssignment DetailsLooking AheadIN-BASK.docx

Unit 1 Assignment.htmlAssignment Details
Looking Ahead
IN-BASKET ASSIGNMENT
TO: Agency Health Education and Health Promotion Personnel
FROM: The Director
RE: Looking Ahead
We are doing long-range planning for the agency. Please submit
a two-page report describing the historical achievements in
prevention efforts facilitated by local, federal and professional
organizations. In your report, identify the health issues of the
19th and 20th centuries and the social factors that influenced
public health communication in addressing these health issues.
Predict what you think will be the major health issues for the
next decade. Which of these can be most impacted by health
education and health promotion?
The weekly Assignments are meant to replicate actual
communications between supervisor and employee in a public
health organization. These weekly emails are requests from your
“Boss” and should be treated as such. In other words, there are
no strict formatting or length requirements. However, you will
be graded on your professionalism as well as your content. Your
instructor will be “grading” you as a supervisor, so, do your
best!
Submitting your work:
Save your response in a Word document with the proper naming
convention:
username PU630 section unitX assignment.doc
(username is your username, section is your course section, X is
your unit #)
Humanities Final Exam
1. A traditional narrative common to members of a tribe, race,

or nation that frequently includes the supernatural and explains
a natural phenomenon is called: *
A. symbol
B. lyric
C. allegory
D. myth
2. Which of the following is a dominant theme in Oedipus the
King? *
A. Humans cannot escape their fate.
B. Man can control their life.
C. People can determine their own destiny.
3. A long narrative poem in elevated style presenting characters
of high position in adventures forming an organic whole is
called: *
A. a narrative
B. an allegory
C. an allusion
D. an epic
4. What genre is Bhagavad Gita? *
A. philosophical poem
B. drama
C. haiku
5. “Don’t claim any man god’s friend until he has passed
through life and crossed the border into death—never having
been god’s victim” (Oedipus Rex lines 1744–46). These closing
lines reflect the theme: *
A. Man will be rewarded with eternal life in god’s kingdom.
B. The gods are kind to all except the truly evil.

C. The gods toy with humans’ lives, and only after a person dies
is there peace.
6. Which of these does NOT describe Krsna/Krishna?
A. Arjuna’s friend
B. narcissist
C. deity
7. Griots were prominent figures in Mande culture and
performed the roles of professional historians and: *
A. kings
B. noblemen
C. orators
D. merchant
8. What genre is Oedipus the King? *
A. lyric poem
B. drama
C. narrative
9. Which of the following presents a series of bawdy and
entertaining tales told within a frame narrative? *
A. The Canterbury Tales
B. Popol Vuh
C. Oedipus the King
D. Bhagavad Gita
10. When Oedipus says, “What good were eyes to me? Nothing I
could see could bring me joy,” he is continuing the play’s
metaphor about: *
A. redemption
B. blindness

C. moral goodness
D. happiness
11. No one knows for sure what was changed when Popol Vuh
was written down by the _____ priest. *
A. Portuguese
B. Spanish
C. French
12. Deformity and impairment are rarely discussed as heroic or
beneficial traits, especially when one character is female, yet
two characters from one of the epics below struggle with
extreme disabilities that prepare them for honorable roles.
Identify those characters: *
A. Sogolon and Sunjata in Sundiata
B. Arjuna and Krishna in The Bhagavad-Gita
C. Oedipus and Jocasta in Oedipus Rex
13. Sundiata illustrates the Mande peoples’ cultural practice of
animism and the introduction of which other religion? *
A. Christianity
B. Hinduism
C. Islam
D. Judaism
14. In The Canterbury Tales, the pilgrims travel in which
country? *
A. England
B. Nigeria
C. India
D. Mexico

15. Timbuktu, an important trade and religious center for the
ancient Mali empire, is located on the continent of: *
A. Mali
B. Africa
C. France
D. Europe
16. Popol Vuh contains creation stories as well as the history of
which culture? *
A. Aztec
B. Mayan
C. Incan
17. The pilgrims in The Canterbury Tales begin their journey
during which season? *
A. Spring
B. Summer
C. Fall
D. Winter
18. Oedpidus Rex was written by:
A. Shakespeare
B. Sophocles
C. Euripedes
D. Medea
Part 2: In a brief essay, answer the following: After reading the
texts in this course of the semester, why do you think these
texts are still being taught in Humanities classes? Using at least
one text, explain how it’s themes can be related to everyday
life. What universal lessons and messages can be learned from
them.

The Canterbury Tales
Geoffrey Chaucer
Table of Contents
The Canterbury
Tales.......................................................................................
........................................................1
Geoffrey
Chaucer...................................................................................
........................................................1
i
Geoffrey Chaucer
PROLOGUE
Here begins the Book of the Tales of Canterbury
When April with his showers sweet with fruit
The drought of March has pierced unto the root

And bathed each vein with liquor that has power
To generate therein and sire the flower;
When Zephyr also has, with his sweet breath,
Quickened again, in every holt and heath,
The tender shoots and buds, and the young sun
Into the Ram one half his course has run,
And many little birds make melody
That sleep through all the night with open eye
(So Nature pricks them on to ramp and rage)−
Then do folk long to go on pilgrimage,
And palmers to go seeking out strange strands,
To distant shrines well known in sundry lands.
And specially from every shire's end
Of England they to Canterbury wend,
The holy blessed martyr there to seek
Who helped them when they lay so ill and weal
Befell that, in that season, on a day
In Southwark, at the Tabard, as I lay
Ready to start upon my pilgrimage
To Canterbury, full of devout homage,
There came at nightfall to that hostelry
Some nine and twenty in a company
Of sundry persons who had chanced to fall
In fellowship, and pilgrims were they all
That toward Canterbury town would ride.
The rooms and stables spacious were and wide,
And well we there were eased, and of the best.
And briefly, when the sun had gone to rest,
So had I spoken with them, every one,
That I was of their fellowship anon,
And made agreement that we'd early rise
To take the road, as you I will apprise.
But none the less, whilst I have time and space,
Before yet farther in this tale I pace,
It seems to me accordant with reason

The Canterbury Tales 1
To inform you of the state of every one
Of all of these, as it appeared to me,
And who they were, and what was their degree,
And even how arrayed there at the inn;
And with a knight thus will I first begin.
THE KNIGHT
A knight there was, and he a worthy man,
Who, from the moment that he first began
To ride about the world, loved chivalry,
Truth, honour, freedom and all courtesy.
Full worthy was he in his liege−lord's war,
And therein had he ridden (none more far)
As well in Christendom as heathenesse,
And honoured everywhere for worthiness.
At Alexandria, he, when it was won;
Full oft the table's roster he'd begun
Above all nations' knights in Prussia.
In Latvia raided he, and Russia,
No christened man so oft of his degree.
In far Granada at the siege was he
Of Algeciras, and in Belmarie.
At Ayas was he and at Satalye
When they were won; and on the Middle Sea
At many a noble meeting chanced to be.
Of mortal battles he had fought fifteen,
And he'd fought for our faith at Tramissene
Three times in lists, and each time slain his foe.
This self−same worthy knight had been also
At one time with the lord of Palatye
Against another heathen in Turkey:
And always won he sovereign fame for prize.

Though so illustrious, he was very wise
And bore himself as meekly as a maid.
He never yet had any vileness said,
In all his life, to whatsoever wight.
He was a truly perfect, gentle knight.
But now, to tell you all of his array,
His steeds were good, but yet he was not gay.
Of simple fustian wore he a jupon
Sadly discoloured by his habergeon;
For he had lately come from his voyage
And now was going on this pilgrimage.
THE SQUIRE
With him there was his son, a youthful squire,
A lover and a lusty bachelor,
With locks well curled, as if they'd laid in press.
Some twenty years of age he was, I guess.
In stature he was of an average length,
Wondrously active, aye, and great of strength.
He'd ridden sometime with the cavalry
In Flanders, in Artois, and Picardy,
And borne him well within that little space
In hope to win thereby his lady's grace.
Prinked out he was, as if he were a mead,
All full of fresh−cut flowers white and red.
Singing he was, or fluting, all the day;
He was as fresh as is the month of May.
Short was his gown, with sleeves both long and wide.
Well could be sit on horse, and fairly ride.

He could make songs and words thereto indite,
Joust, and dance too, as well as sketch and write.
So hot he loved that, while night told her tale,
He slept no more than does a nightingale.
Courteous he, and humble, willing and able,
And carved before his father at the table.
THE YEOMAN
A yeoman had he, nor more servants, no,
At that time, for he chose to travel so;
And he was clad in coat and hood of green.
A sheaf of peacock arrows bright and keen
Under his belt he bore right carefully
(Well could he keep his tackle yeomanly:
His arrows had no draggled feathers low),
And in his hand he bore a mighty bow.
A cropped head had he and a sun−browned face.
Of woodcraft knew he all the useful ways.
Upon his arm he bore a bracer gay,
And at one side a sword and buckler, yea,
And at the other side a dagger bright,
Well sheathed and sharp as spear point in the light;
On breast a Christopher of silver sheen.
He bore a horn in baldric all of green;
A forester he truly was, I guess.
THE PRIORESS
There was also a nun, a prioress,
Who, in her smiling, modest was and coy;
Her greatest oath was but "By Saint Eloy!"
And she was known as Madam Eglantine.
Full well she sang the services divine,
Intoning through her nose, becomingly;
And fair she spoke her French, and fluently,
After the school of Stratford−at−the−Bow,
For French of Paris was not hers to know.

At table she had been well taught withal,
And never from her lips let morsels fall,
Nor dipped her fingers deep in sauce, but ate
With so much care the food upon her plate
That never driblet fell upon her breast.
In courtesy she had delight and zest.
Her upper lip was always wiped so clean
That in her cup was no iota seen
Of grease, when she had drunk her draught of wine.
Becomingly she reached for meat to dine.
And certainly delighting in good sport,
She was right pleasant, amiable− in short.
She was at pains to counterfeit the look
Of courtliness, and stately manners took,
And would be held worthy of reverence.
But, to say something of her moral sense,
She was so charitable and piteous
That she would weep if she but saw a mouse
Caught in a trap, though it were dead or bled.
She had some little dogs, too, that she fed
On roasted flesh, or milk and fine white bread.
But sore she'd weep if one of them were dead,
Or if men smote it with a rod to smart:
For pity ruled her, and her tender heart.
Right decorous her pleated wimple was;
Her nose was fine; her eyes were blue as glass;
Her mouth was small and therewith soft and red;
But certainly she had a fair forehead;
It was almost a full span broad, I own,

For, truth to tell, she was not undergrown.
Neat was her cloak, as I was well aware.
Of coral small about her arm she'd bear
A string of beads and gauded all with green;
And therefrom hung a brooch of golden sheen
Whereon there was first written a crowned "A,"
And under, Amor vincit omnia.
THE NUN
Another little nun with her had she,
THE THREE PRIESTS
Who was her chaplain; and of priests she'd three.
THE MONK
A monk there was, one made for mastery,
An outrider, who loved his venery;
A manly man, to be an abbot able.
Full many a blooded horse had he in stable:
And when he rode men might his bridle hear
A−jingling in the whistling wind as clear,
Aye, and as loud as does the chapel bell
Where this brave monk was of the cell.
The rule of Maurus or Saint Benedict,
By reason it was old and somewhat strict,
This said monk let such old things slowly pace
And followed new−world manners in their place.
He cared not for that text a clean−plucked hen
Which holds that hunters are not holy men;

Nor that a monk, when he is cloisterless,
Is like unto a fish that's waterless;
That is to say, a monk out of his cloister.
But this same text he held not worth an oyster;
And I said his opinion was right good.
What? Should he study as a madman would
Upon a book in cloister cell? Or yet
Go labour with his hands and swink and sweat,
As Austin bids? How shall the world be served?
Let Austin have his toil to him reserved.
Therefore he was a rider day and night;
Greyhounds he had, as swift as bird in flight.
Since riding and the hunting of the hare
Were all his love, for no cost would he spare.
I saw his sleeves were purfled at the hand
With fur of grey, the finest in the land;
Also, to fasten hood beneath his chin,
He had of good wrought gold a curious pin:
A love−knot in the larger end there was.
His head was bald and shone like any glass,
And smooth as one anointed was his face.
Fat was this lord, he stood in goodly case.
His bulging eyes he rolled about, and hot
They gleamed and red, like fire beneath a pot;
His boots were soft; his horse of great estate.
Now certainly he was a fine prelate:
He was not pale as some poor wasted ghost.
A fat swan loved he best of any roast.
His palfrey was as brown as is a berry.
THE FRIAR
A friar there was, a wanton and a merry,
A limiter, a very festive man.
In all the Orders Four is none that can
Equal his gossip and his fair language.
He had arranged full many a marriage

Of women young, and this at his own cost.
Unto his order he was a noble post.
Well liked by all and intimate was he
With franklins everywhere in his country,
And with the worthy women of the town:
For at confessing he'd more power in gown
(As he himself said) than it good curate,
For of his order he was licentiate.
He heard confession gently, it was said,
Gently absolved too, leaving naught of dread.
He was an easy man to give penance
When knowing he should gain a good pittance;
For to a begging friar, money given
Is sign that any man has been well shriven.
For if one gave (he dared to boast of this),
He took the man's repentance not amiss.
For many a man there is so hard of heart
He cannot weep however pains may smart.
Therefore, instead of weeping and of prayer,
Men should give silver to poor friars all bare.
His tippet was stuck always full of knives
And pins, to give to young and pleasing wives.
And certainly he kept a merry note:
Well could he sing and play upon the rote.
At balladry he bore the prize away.
His throat was white as lily of the May;
Yet strong he was as ever champion.
In towns he knew the taverns, every one,
And every good host and each barmaid too−

Better than begging lepers, these he knew.
For unto no such solid man as he
Accorded it, as far as he could see,
To have sick lepers for acquaintances.
There is no honest advantageousness
In dealing with such poverty−stricken curs;
It's with the rich and with big victuallers.
And so, wherever profit might arise,
Courteous he was and humble in men's eyes.
There was no other man so virtuous.
He was the finest beggar of his house;
A certain district being farmed to him,
None of his brethren dared approach its rim;
For though a widow had no shoes to show,
So pleasant was his In principio,
He always got a farthing ere he went.
He lived by pickings, it is evident.
And he could romp as well as any whelp.
On love days could he be of mickle help.
For there he was not like a cloisterer,
With threadbare cope as is the poor scholar,
But he was like a lord or like a pope.
Of double worsted was his semi−cope,
That rounded like a bell, as you may guess.
He lisped a little, out of wantonness,
To make his English soft upon his tongue;
And in his harping, after he had sung,
His two eyes twinkled in his head as bright
As do the stars within the frosty night.
This worthy limiter was named Hubert.
THE MERCHANT
There was a merchant with forked beard, and girt
In motley gown, and high on horse he sat,
Upon his head a Flemish beaver hat;

His boots were fastened rather elegantly.
His spoke his notions out right pompously,
Stressing the times when he had won, not lost.
He would the sea were held at any cost
Across from Middleburgh to Orwell town.
At money−changing he could make a crown.
This worthy man kept all his wits well set;
There was no one could say he was in debt,
So well he governed all his trade affairs
With bargains and with borrowings and with shares.
Indeed, he was a worthy man withal,
But, sooth to say, his name I can't recall.
THE CLERK
A clerk from Oxford was with us also,
Who'd turned to getting knowledge, long ago.
As meagre was his horse as is a rake,
Nor he himself too fat, I'll undertake,
But he looked hollow and went soberly.
Right threadbare was his overcoat; for he
Had got him yet no churchly benefice,
Nor was so worldly as to gain office.
For he would rather have at his bed's head
Some twenty books, all bound in black and red,
Of Aristotle and his philosophy
Than rich robes, fiddle, or gay psaltery.
Yet, and for all he was philosopher,
He had but little gold within his coffer;
But all that he might borrow from a friend
On books and learning he would swiftly spend,

And then he'd pray right busily for the souls
Of those who gave him wherewithal for schools.
Of study took he utmost care and heed.
Not one word spoke he more than was his need;
And that was said in fullest reverence
And short and quick and full of high good sense.
Pregnant of moral virtue was his speech;
And gladly would he learn and gladly teach.
THE LAWYER
A sergeant of the law, wary and wise,
Who'd often gone to Paul's walk to advise,
There was also, compact of excellence.
Discreet he was, and of great reverence;
At least he seemed so, his words were so wise.
Often he sat as justice in assize,
By patent or commission from the crown;
Because of learning and his high renown,
He took large fees and many robes could own.
So great a purchaser was never known.
All was fee simple to him, in effect,
Wherefore his claims could never be suspect.
Nowhere a man so busy of his class,
And yet he seemed much busier than he was.
All cases and all judgments could he cite
That from King William's time were apposite.
And he could draw a contract so explicit
Not any man could fault therefrom elicit;

And every statute he'd verbatim quote.
He rode but badly in a medley coat,
Belted in a silken sash, with little bars,
But of his dress no more particulars.
THE FRANKLIN
There was a franklin in his company;
White was his beard as is the white daisy.
Of sanguine temperament by every sign,
He loved right well his morning sop in wine.
Delightful living was the goal he'd won,
For he was Epicurus' very son,
That held opinion that a full delight
Was true felicity, perfect and right.
A householder, and that a great, was he;
Saint Julian he was in his own country.
His bread and ale were always right well done;
A man with better cellars there was none.
Baked meat was never wanting in his house,
Of fish and flesh, and that so plenteous
It seemed to snow therein both food and drink
Of every dainty that a man could think.
According to the season of the year
He changed his diet and his means of cheer.
Full many a fattened partridge did he mew,
And many a bream and pike in fish−pond too.
Woe to his cook, except the sauces were
Poignant and sharp, and ready all his gear.
His table, waiting in his hall alway,
Stood ready covered through the livelong day.
At county sessions was he lord and sire,
And often acted as a knight of shire.
A dagger and a trinket−bag of silk
Hung from his girdle, white as morning milk.
He had been sheriff and been auditor;
And nowhere was a worthier vavasor.

THE HABERDASHER AND THE CARPENTER
A haberdasher and a carpenter,
THE WEAVER, THE DYER, AND THE ARRAS−MAKER
An arras−maker, dyer, and weaver
Were with us, clothed in similar livery,
All of one sober, great fraternity.
Their gear was new and well adorned it was;
Their weapons were not cheaply trimmed with brass,
But all with silver; chastely made and well
Their girdles and their pouches too, I tell.
Each man of them appeared a proper burges
To sit in guildhall on a high dais.
And each of them, for wisdom he could span,
Was fitted to have been an alderman;
For chattels they'd enough, and, too, of rent;
To which their goodwives gave a free assent,
Or else for certain they had been to blame.
It's good to hear "Madam" before one's name,
And go to church when all the world may see,
Having one's mantle borne right royally.
THE COOK
A cook they had with them, just for the nonce,
To boil the chickens with the marrow−bones,
And flavour tartly and with galingale.
Well could he tell a draught of London ale.
And he could roast and seethe and broil and fry,

And make a good thick soup, and bake a pie.
But very ill it was, it seemed to me,
That on his shin a deadly sore had he;
For sweet blanc−mange, he made it with the best.
THE SAILOR
There was a sailor, living far out west;
For aught I know, he was of Dartmouth town.
He sadly rode a hackney, in a gown,
Of thick rough cloth falling to the knee.
A dagger hanging on a cord had he
About his neck, and under arm, and down.
The summer's heat had burned his visage brown;
And certainly he was a good fellow.
Full many a draught of wine he'd drawn, I trow,
Of Bordeaux vintage, while the trader slept.
Nice conscience was a thing he never kept.
If that he fought and got the upper hand,
By water he sent them home to every land.
But as for craft, to reckon well his tides,
His currents and the dangerous watersides,
His harbours, and his moon, his pilotage,
There was none such from Hull to far Carthage.
Hardy. and wise in all things undertaken,
By many a tempest had his beard been shaken.
He knew well all the havens, as they were,
From Gottland to the Cape of Finisterre,
And every creek in Brittany and Spain;
His vessel had been christened Madeleine.

THE PHYSICIAN
With us there was a doctor of physic;
In all this world was none like him to pick
For talk of medicine and surgery;
For he was grounded in astronomy.
He often kept a patient from the pall
By horoscopes and magic natural.
Well could he tell the fortune ascendent
Within the houses for his sick patient.
He knew the cause of every malady,
Were it of hot or cold, of moist or dry,
And where engendered, and of what humour;
He was a very good practitioner.
The cause being known, down to the deepest root,
Anon he gave to the sick man his boot.
Ready he was, with his apothecaries,
To send him drugs and all electuaries;
By mutual aid much gold they'd always won−
Their friendship was a thing not new begun.
Well read was he in Esculapius,
And Deiscorides, and in Rufus,
Hippocrates, and Hali, and Galen,
Serapion, Rhazes, and Avicen,
Averrhoes, Gilbert, and Constantine,
Bernard and Gatisden, and John Damascene.
In diet he was measured as could be,
Including naught of superfluity,
But nourishing and easy. It's no libel
To say he read but little in the Bible.
In blue and scarlet he went clad, withal,
Lined with a taffeta and with sendal;
And yet he was right chary of expense;
He kept the gold he gained from pestilence.
For gold in physic is a fine cordial,
And therefore loved he gold exceeding all.

THE WIFE OF BATH
There was a housewife come from Bath, or near,
Who− sad to say− was deaf in either ear.
At making cloth she had so great a bent
She bettered those of Ypres and even of Ghent.
In all the parish there was no goodwife
Should offering make before her, on my life;
And if one did, indeed, so wroth was she
It put her out of all her charity.
Her kerchiefs were of finest weave and ground;
I dare swear that they weighed a full ten pound
Which, of a Sunday, she wore on her head.
Her hose were of the choicest scarlet red,
Close gartered, and her shoes were soft and new.
Bold was her face, and fair, and red of hue.
She'd been respectable throughout her life,
With five churched husbands bringing joy and strife,
Not counting other company in youth;
But thereof there's no need to speak, in truth.
Three times she'd journeyed to Jerusalem;
And many a foreign stream she'd had to stem;
At Rome she'd been, and she'd been in Boulogne,
In Spain at Santiago, and at Cologne.
She could tell much of wandering by the way:
Gap−toothed was she, it is no lie to say.
Upon an ambler easily she sat,
Well wimpled, aye, and over all a hat
As broad as is a buckler or a targe;
A rug was tucked around her buttocks large,

And on her feet a pair of sharpened spurs.
In company well could she laugh her slurs.
The remedies of love she knew, perchance,
For of that art she'd learned the old, old dance.
THE PARSON
There was a good man of religion, too,
A country parson, poor, I warrant you;
But rich he was in holy thought and work.
He was a learned man also, a clerk,
Who Christ's own gospel truly sought to preach;
Devoutly his parishioners would he teach.
Benign he was and wondrous diligent,
Patient in adverse times and well content,
As he was ofttimes proven; always blithe,
He was right loath to curse to get a tithe,
But rather would he give, in case of doubt,
Unto those poor parishioners about,
Part of his income, even of his goods.
Enough with little, coloured all his moods.
Wide was his parish, houses far asunder,
But never did he fail, for rain or thunder,
In sickness, or in sin, or any state,
To visit to the farthest, small and great,
Going afoot, and in his hand, a stave.
This fine example to his flock he gave,
That first he wrought and afterwards he taught;
Out of the gospel then that text he caught,
And this figure he added thereunto−
That, if gold rust, what shall poor iron do?
For if the priest be foul, in whom we trust,
What wonder if a layman yield to lust?
And shame it is, if priest take thought for keep,
A shitty shepherd, shepherding clean sheep.
Well ought a priest example good to give,
By his own cleanness, how his flock should live.

He never let his benefice for hire,
Leaving his flock to flounder in the mire,
And ran to London, up to old Saint Paul's
To get himself a chantry there for souls,
Nor in some brotherhood did he withhold;
But dwelt at home and kept so well the fold
That never wolf could make his plans miscarry;
He was a shepherd and not mercenary.
And holy though he was, and virtuous,
To sinners he was not impiteous,
Nor haughty in his speech, nor too divine,
But in all teaching prudent and benign.
To lead folk into Heaven but by stress
Of good example was his busyness.
But if some sinful one proved obstinate,
Be who it might, of high or low estate,
Him he reproved, and sharply, as I know.
There is nowhere a better priest, I trow.
He had no thirst for pomp or reverence,
Nor made himself a special, spiced conscience,
But Christ's own lore, and His apostles' twelve
He taught, but first he followed it himselve.
THE PLOWMAN
With him there was a plowman, was his brother,
That many a load of dung, and many another
Had scattered, for a good true toiler, he,
Living in peace and perfect charity.
He loved God most, and that with his whole heart

At all times, though he played or plied his art,
And next, his neighbour, even as himself.
He'd thresh and dig, with never thought of pelf,
For Christ's own sake, for every poor wight,
All without pay, if it lay in his might.
He paid his taxes, fully, fairly, well,
Both by his own toil and by stuff he'd sell.
In a tabard he rode upon a mare.
There were also a reeve and miller there;
A summoner, manciple and pardoner,
And these, beside myself, made all there were.
THE MILLER
The miller was a stout churl, be it known,
Hardy and big of brawn and big of bone;
Which was well proved, for when he went on lam
At wrestling, never failed he of the ram.
He was a chunky fellow, broad of build;
He'd heave a door from hinges if he willed,
Or break it through, by running, with his head.
His beard, as any sow or fox, was red,
And broad it was as if it were a spade.
Upon the coping of his nose he had
A wart, and thereon stood a tuft of hairs,
Red as the bristles in an old sow's ears;
His nostrils they were black and very wide.
A sword and buckler bore he by his side.
His mouth was like a furnace door for size.
He was a jester and could poetize,

But mostly all of sin and ribaldries.
He could steal corn and full thrice charge his fees;
And yet he had a thumb of gold, begad.
A white coat and blue hood he wore, this lad.
A bagpipe he could blow well, be it known,
And with that same he brought us out of town.
THE MANCIPLE
There was a manciple from an inn of court,
To whom all buyers might quite well resort
To learn the art of buying food and drink;
For whether he paid cash or not, I think
That he so knew the markets, when to buy,
He never found himself left high and dry.
Now is it not of God a full fair grace
That such a vulgar man has wit to pace
The wisdom of a crowd of learned men?
Of masters had he more than three times ten,
Who were in law expert and curious;
Whereof there were a dozen in that house
Fit to be stewards of both rent and land
Of any lord in England who would stand
Upon his own and live in manner good,
In honour, debtless (save his head were wood),
Or live as frugally as he might desire;
These men were able to have helped a shire
In any case that ever might befall;
And yet this manciple outguessed them all.
THE REEVE
The reeve he was a slender, choleric man
Who shaved his beard as close as razor can.
His hair was cut round even with his ears;
His top was tonsured like a pulpiteer's.
Long were his legs, and they were very lean,
And like a staff, with no calf to be seen.

Well could he manage granary and bin;
No auditor could ever on him win.
He could foretell, by drought and by the rain,
The yielding of his seed and of his grain.
His lord's sheep and his oxen and his dairy,
His swine and horses, all his stores, his poultry,
Were wholly in this steward's managing;
And, by agreement, he'd made reckoning
Since his young lord of age was twenty years;
Yet no man ever found him in arrears.
There was no agent, hind, or herd who'd cheat
But he knew well his cunning and deceit;
They were afraid of him as of the death.
His cottage was a good one, on a heath;
By green trees shaded with this dwelling−place.
Much better than his lord could he purchase.
Right rich he was in his own private right,
Seeing he'd pleased his lord, by day or night,
By giving him, or lending, of his goods,
And so got thanked− but yet got coats and hoods.
In youth he'd learned a good trade, and had been
A carpenter, as fine as could be seen.
This steward sat a horse that well could trot,
And was all dapple−grey, and was named Scot.
A long surcoat of blue did he parade,
And at his side he bore a rusty blade.
Of Norfolk was this reeve of whom I tell,
From near a town that men call Badeswell.
Bundled he was like friar from chin to croup,

And ever he rode hindmost of our troop.
THE SUMMONER
A summoner was with us in that place,
Who had a fiery−red, cherubic face,
For eczema he had; his eyes were narrow
As hot he was, and lecherous, as a sparrow;
With black and scabby brows and scanty beard;
He had a face that little children feared.
There was no mercury, sulphur, or litharge,
No borax, ceruse, tartar, could discharge,
Nor ointment that could cleanse enough, or bite,
To free him of his boils and pimples white,
Nor of the bosses resting on his cheeks.
Well loved he garlic, onions, aye and leeks,
And drinking of strong wine as red as blood.
Then would he talk and shout as madman would.
And when a deal of wine he'd poured within,
Then would. he utter no word save Latin.
Some phrases had he learned, say two or three,
Which he had garnered out of some decree;
No wonder, for he'd heard it all the day;
And all you know right well that even a jay
Can call out "Wat" as well as can the pope.
But when, for aught else, into him you'd grope,
'Twas found he'd spent his whole philosophy;
Just "Questio quid juris" would he cry.
He was a noble rascal, and a kind;
A better comrade 'twould be hard to find.
Why, he would suffer, for a quart of wine,

Some good fellow to have his concubine
A twelve−month, and excuse him to the full
(Between ourselves, though, he could pluck a gull).
And if he chanced upon a good fellow,
He would instruct him never to have awe,
In such a case, of the archdeacon's curse,
Except a man's soul lie within his purse;
For in his purse the man should punished be.
"The purse is the archdeacon's Hell," said he.
But well I know he lied in what he said;
A curse ought every guilty man to dread
(For curse can kill, as absolution save),
And 'ware significavit to the grave.
In his own power had he, and at ease,
The boys and girls of all the diocese,
And knew their secrets, and by counsel led.
A garland had he set upon his head,
Large as a tavern's wine−bush on a stake;
A buckler had he made of bread they bake.
THE PARDONER
With him there rode a gentle pardoner
Of Rouncival, his friend and his compeer;
Straight from the court of Rome had journeyed he.
Loudly he sang "Come hither, love, to me,"
The summoner joining with a burden round;
Was never horn of half so great a sound.
This pardoner had hair as yellow as wax,
But lank it hung as does a strike of flax;
In wisps hung down such locks as he'd on head,
And with them he his shoulders overspread;
But thin they dropped, and stringy, one by one.
But as to hood, for sport of it, he'd none,
Though it was packed in wallet all the while.
It seemed to him he went in latest style,

Dishevelled, save for cap, his head all bare.
As shiny eyes he had as has a hare.
He had a fine veronica sewed to cap.
His wallet lay before him in his lap,
Stuffed full of pardons brought from Rome all hot.
A voice he had that bleated like a goat.
No beard had he, nor ever should he have,
For smooth his face as he'd just had a shave;
I think he was a gelding or a mare.
But in his craft, from Berwick unto Ware,
Was no such pardoner in any place.
For in his bag he had a pillowcase
The which, he said, was Our True Lady's veil:
He said he had a piece of the very sail
That good Saint Peter had, what time he went
Upon the sea, till Jesus changed his bent.
He had a latten cross set full of stones,
And in a bottle had he some pig's bones.
But with these relics, when he came upon
Some simple parson, then this paragon
In that one day more money stood to gain
Than the poor dupe in two months could attain.
And thus, with flattery and suchlike japes,
He made the parson and the rest his apes.
But yet, to tell the whole truth at the last,
He was, in church, a fine ecclesiast.
Well could he read a lesson or a story,
But best of all he sang an offertory;
For well he knew that when that song was sung,

Then might he preach, and all with polished tongue.
To win some silver, as he right well could;
Therefore he sang so merrily and so loud.
PROLOGUE
Now have I told you briefly, in a clause,
The state, the array, the number, and the cause
Of the assembling of this company
In Southwark, at this noble hostelry
Known as the Tabard Inn, hard by the Bell.
But now the time is come wherein to tell
How all we bore ourselves that very night
When at the hostelry we did alight.
And afterward the story I engage
To tell you of our common pilgrimage.
But first, I pray you, of your courtesy,
You'll not ascribe it to vulgarity
Though I speak plainly of this matter here,
Retailing you their words and means of cheer;
Nor though I use their very terms, nor lie.
For this thing do you know as well as I:
When one repeats a tale told by a man,
He must report, as nearly as he can,
Every least word, if he remember it,
However rude it be, or how unfit;
Or else he may be telling what's untrue,
Embellishing and fictionizing too.
He may not spare, although it were his brother;
He must as well say one word as another.
Christ spoke right broadly out, in holy writ,
And, you know well, there's nothing low in it.
And Plato says, to those able to read:
"The word should be the cousin to the deed."
Also, I pray that you'll forgive it me
If I have not set folk, in their degree
Here in this tale, by rank as they should stand.

My wits are not the best, you'll understand.
Great cheer our host gave to us, every one,
And to the supper set us all anon;
And served us then with victuals of the best.
Strong was the wine and pleasant to each guest.
A seemly man our good host was, withal,
Fit to have been a marshal in some hall;
He was a large man, with protruding eyes,
As fine a burgher as in Cheapside lies;
Bold in his speech, and wise, and right well taught,
And as to manhood, lacking there in naught.
Also, he was a very merry man,
And after meat, at playing he began,
Speaking of mirth among some other things,
When all of us had paid our reckonings;
And saying thus: "Now masters, verily
You are all welcome here, and heartily:
For by my truth, and telling you no lie,
I have not seen, this year, a company
Here in this inn, fitter for sport than now.
Fain would I make you happy, knew I how.
And of a game have I this moment thought
To give you joy, and it shall cost you naught.
"You go to Canterbury; may God speed
And the blest martyr soon requite your meed.
And well I know, as you go on your way,
You'll tell good tales and shape yourselves to play;
For truly there's no mirth nor comfort, none,
Riding the roads as dumb as is a stone;

And therefore will I furnish you a sport,
As I just said, to give you some comfort.
And if you like it, all, by one assent,
And will be ruled by me, of my judgment,
And will so do as I'll proceed to say,
Tomorrow, when you ride upon your way,
Then, by my father's spirit, who is dead,
If you're not gay, I'll give you up my head.
Hold up your hands, nor more about it speak."
Our full assenting was not far to seek;
We thought there was no reason to think twice,
And granted him his way without advice,
And bade him tell his verdict just and wise,
"Masters," quoth he, "here now is my advice;
But take it not, I pray you, in disdain;
This is the point, to put it short and plain,
That each of you, beguiling the long day,
Shall tell two stories as you wend your way
To Canterbury town; and each of you
On coming home, shall tell another two,
All of adventures he has known befall.
And he who plays his part the best of all,
That is to say, who tells upon the road
Tales of best sense, in most amusing mode,
Shall have a supper at the others' cost
Here in this room and sitting by this post,
When we come back again from Canterbury.
And now, the more to warrant you'll be merry,
I will myself, and gladly, with you ride

At my own cost, and I will be your guide.
But whosoever shall my rule gainsay
Shall pay for all that's bought along the way.
And if you are agreed that it be so,
Tell me at once, or if not, tell me no,
And I will act accordingly. No more."
This thing was granted, and our oaths we swore,
With right glad hearts, and prayed of him, also,
That he would take the office, nor forgo
The place of governor of all of us,
Judging our tales; and by his wisdom thus
Arrange that supper at a certain price,
We to be ruled, each one, by his advice
In things both great and small; by one assent,
We stood committed to his government.
And thereupon, the wine was fetched anon;
We drank, and then to rest went every one,
And that without a longer tarrying.
Next morning, when the day began to spring,
Up rose our host, and acting as our cock,
He gathered us together in a flock,
And forth we rode, a jog−trot being the pace,
Until we reached Saint Thomas' watering−place.
And there our host pulled horse up to a walk,
And said: "Now, masters, listen while I talk.
You know what you agreed at set of sun.
If even−song and morning−song are one,
Let's here decide who first shall tell a tale.
And as I hope to drink more wine and ale,
Whoso proves rebel to my government
Shall pay for all that by the way is spent.
Come now, draw cuts, before we farther win,
And he that draws the shortest shall begin.
Sir knight," said he, "my master and my lord,
You shall draw first as you have pledged your word.
Come near," quoth he, "my lady prioress:

And you, sir clerk, put by your bashfulness,
Nor ponder more; out hands, flow, every man!"
At once to draw a cut each one began,
And, to make short the matter, as it was,
Whether by chance or whatsoever cause,
The truth is, that the cut fell to the knight,
At which right happy then was every wight.
Thus that his story first of all he'd tell,
According to the compact, it befell,
As you have heard. Why argue to and fro?
And when this good man saw that it was so,
Being a wise man and obedient
To plighted word, given by free assent,
He slid: "Since I must then begin the game,
Why, welcome be the cut, and in God's name!
Now let us ride, and hearken what I say."
And at that word we rode forth on our way;
And he began to speak, with right good cheer,
His tale anon, as it is written here.
HERE ENDS THE PROLOGUE OF THIS BOOK
AND HERE BEGINS THE FIRST TALE,
WHICH IS THE KNIGHT'S TALE
19

Table of ContentsThe Canterbury TalesGeoffrey Chaucer
BHAGAVAD GITA
By
SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA
Sri Swami Sivananda
Founder of
The Divine Life Society
SERVE, LOVE, GIVE,
PURIFY, MEDITATE,
REALIZE
So Says
Sri Swami Sivananda
A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION
World Wide Web (WWW) Edition: 2000
WWW site: http://www.SivanandaDlshq.org/
This WWW reprint is for free distribution
© The Divine Life Trust Society

Published By
THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
P.O. SHIVANANDANAGAR—249 192
Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttar Pradesh,
Himalayas, India.
PUBLISHERS’ NOTE
The Bhagavad Gita is one of the world-scriptures today. It
guides the lives of people all over
the world. Mahatma Gandhi regarded it as the “Mother”, to
whom the children (humanity) turned
when in distress. Sri Swami Sivananda wants us to study daily
at least one discourse of the
scripture, so that its great lessons are ever fresh in our memory.
Each discourse has been preceded by a short summary giving
the substance of that discourse
in a nutshell.
We are extremely grateful to Sri Swami Chidananda, the World-
President of the Divine
Life Society, for his Foreword and assistance in the preparation
of some of the summaries.
Divine Life Society
Shivanandanagar
Rishikesh, U.P.
iii

PREFACE
The Srimad Bhagavad Gita is a dialogue between Lord Krishna
and Arjuna, narrated in the
Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata. It comprises eighteen
discourses of a total of 701 Sanskrit
verses. A considerable volume of material has been compressed
within these verses. On the
battlefield of Kurukshetra, Sri Krishna, during the course of His
most instructive and interesting
talk with Arjuna, revealed profound, sublime and soul-stirring
spiritual truths, and expounded the
rare secrets of Yoga, Vedanta, Bhakti and Karma.
All the teachings of Lord Krishna were subsequently recorded
as the Song Celestial or
Srimad Bhagavad Gita by Bhagavan Vyasa for the benefit of
humanity at large. The world is under
a great debt of gratitude to Bhagavan Vyasa who presented this
Song Celestial to humanity for the
guidance of their daily conduct of life, spiritual upliftment and
Self-realisation. Those who are
self-controlled and who are endowed with faith can reap the full
benefit of the Gita, which is the
science of the Soul.
The Gita Jayanti (birthdate of the Gita) is celebrated throughout
India by the admirers and
lovers of this unique book on the 11th day (Ekadashi) of the
bright half of the month of Margasirsha
according to the Hindu almanac. It was the day on which the
scripture was revealed to the world by
Sanjaya. ...
The Bhagavad Gita is a unique book for all ages. It is one of the

most authoritative books
of the Hindu religion. It is the immortal song of the Soul, which
bespeaks of the glory of
life. The instructions given by Sri Krishna are for the whole
world. It is a standard book on
Yoga for all mankind. The language is as simple as could be.
Even a man who has an elementary
knowledge of Sanskrit can go through the book. ...
The teachings of the Gita are broad, universal and sublime.
They do not belong to any
cult, sect, creed, age or country. They are meant for the people
of the whole world. Based
on the soul-elevating Upanishads—the ancient wisdom of seers
and saints—the Gita
prescribes methods which are within the reach of all. It has a
message of solace, freedom,
salvation, perfection and peace for all human beings.
The Bhagavad Gita is a gospel for the whole world. It is meant
for the generality of
mankind. It was given over five thousand years ago by Lord
Krishna to Arjuna....
The world is one huge battlefield. The real Kurukshetra is
within you. The battle
of the Mahabharata is still raging within. Ignorance is
Dhritarashtra; the individual soul is
Arjuna; the indweller of your heart is Lord Krishna, the
charioteer; the body is the chariot; the
senses are the five horses; mind, egoism, mental impressions,
senses, cravings, likes and dislikes,
lust, jealousy, greed, pride and hypocrisy are your dire enemies.
Harmony in the Gita
Man is a composite of three fundamental factors, namely, will,

feeling and cognition.
There are three kinds of temperament—the active, the emotional
and the rational. Even so, there
are three Yogas—Jnana Yoga for a person of enquiry and
rational temperament, Bhakti Yoga for
the emotional temperament, and Karma Yoga for a person of
action. One Yoga is as efficacious
as the other.
iv
The Bhagavad Gita formulates the theories of the three paths
without creating any conflict
among them. It harmonises most wonderfully the philosophy of
action, devotion and knowledge.
All three must be harmoniously blended if you wish to attain
perfection. You should have the head
of Sri Shankara, the heart of Lord Buddha and the hand of King
Janaka. The three horses of this
body-chariot—action, emotion and intellect—should work in
perfect harmony. Only then will it
move smoothly and reach the destination safely and quickly.
Only then can you rejoice in the Self,
sing the song of Soham, be in tune with the Infinite, hear the
soundless voice of the Soul and enjoy
the sweet music of the eternal Self.
The central teaching of the Gita is the attainment of the final
beatitude of life—perfection or
eternal freedom. This may be achieved by doing one’s
prescribed duties of life. Lord Krishna says
to Arjuna: “Therefore, without attachment, constantly perform
action which is duty, for, by

performing action without attachment, man verily reaches the
Supreme”....
The seers of the Upanishads emphatically declare that the real
man is the all-pervading,
immortal Soul which is the substratum of this body, mind and
world, which is behind the five
sheaths, namely, the food, vital, mental, intellectual and bliss
sheaths.
The goal of life is to directly cognise or realise this self-
luminous Self which is hidden in
this body as fire is hidden in wood or as butter in milk. This
Self is the inner ruler, the unseen
governor or hidden proprietor of this house, the body.
Real religion is the attainment of this transcendental, supreme,
undying, undecaying
Essence through constant and intense meditation. Real life is
life in the eternal Soul. True life is
identification with this Supreme Soul, which exists in the past,
present and future, which has
neither a beginning, middle nor end, which has neither parts nor
limbs, which is neither subtle nor
gross.
The sages of ancient times attained this mysterious and most
marvellous state through the
eye of intuition or the divine third eye. They then explained the
things of this world in the light of
their intuitive knowledge of the Self. This is the direct method
of Self-realisation. ...
The Gita again and again emphasises that one should cultivate
an attitude of non-
attachment or detachment. It urges repeatedly that an individual

should live in the world like
water on a lotus leaf. “He who does actions, offering them to
Brahman and abandoning
attachment, is not tainted by sin as a lotus leaf by water”—
V.10.
Attachment is due to infatuation. It is the offspring of the
quality of Rajas. Detachment is born of
Sattwa. The former is a demoniacal attribute, the latter a divine
one. Attachment is born of
ignorance, selfishness and passion and brings with it death;
detachment is wisdom and brings
with it freedom. The practice of detachment is a rigorous
discipline. You may stumble like a baby
who is just learning to walk, but you will have to rise up again
with a cheerful heart. Failures are
not stumbling-blocks but steppingstones to success. ...
Swami Sivananda
4th July, 1942
v
INTRODUCTION
Dhritarashtra and Pandu were brothers. Dhritarashtra married
Gandhari, and Pandu was
married to Kunti and Madri. King Pandu was cursed for a sin
while hunting, due to which he was
not permitted to unite with his wife. Kunti got a boon through
her sincere service of a wise sage in
her younger age, and she begot three children, namely,
Yudhisthira, Bhima and Arjuna from Yama,
Vayu and Indra respectively. Madri had twins, Nakula and
Sahadeva, through the celestial

physicians called Asvini-Devatas. Dhritarashtra had a hundred
and one children by his wife
Gandhari. Pandu passed away and his sons, the Pandavas, were
all brought up by Dhritarashtra
along with his sons known as Kauravas. The Pandavas and
Kauravas grew up together, but due to
the braveness and intelligence of the former, the Kauravas were
unable to tolerate them. Hence the
Pandavas decided to live separately, sharing half of their
kingdom.
The Pandavas’ pomp, wealth and glory displayed during the
Rajasuya Yajna aroused deep
jealousy and greed in the mind of Duryodhana, the chief of the
Kauravas, who, with the cunning
advice of his uncle, Sakuni, invited Yudhisthira to a game of
dice and fraudulently defeated him,
whereby all his wealth and possessions, including Draupadi,
were lost. Finally it was settled that the
Pandavas, including Draupadi, should repair to the forest for
twelve years in exile, after which they
had to live incognito for another year, untraced by the
Kauravas. During this period the kingdom
was to be ruled by the wicked Duryodhana.
Having successfully completed these thirteen years of exile,
facing many obstacles and
dangers instigated by the Kauravas, the Pandavas, as per the
terms of the agreement, approached the
Kauravas for their share of the kingdom. Duryodhana, however,
flatly refused to part with as much
land as could be covered by the point of a needle. According to
the advice of Mother Kunti and with
the inspiration of Lord Krishna, the Pandavas decided upon war
and tried to establish their rightful
claim on the kingdom by overcoming the Kauravas.

Duryodhana and Arjuna, from the side of the Kauravas and
Pandavas respectively, were
sent to Dwaraka to seek the help of the Yadava hero, Lord
Krishna, in the battle. They both found
Krishna resting on a couch in His palace. Duryodhana went in
and occupied a seat at the head of the
couch while Arjuna stood near the feet of the Lord. The moment
Sri Krishna opened His eyes, He
naturally saw Arjuna first, and then Duryodhana sitting on a
chair. After enquiry of their welfare
and the purpose of their visit, Sri Krishna, according to the
prevailing custom, gave the first choice
to Arjuna, because of his age, and also because of His sight of
Arjuna first. Krishna asked Arjuna to
fulfil his desire by selecting Him unarmed or His powerful army
called Narayani Sena. Arjuna, who
was a devotee of Sri Krishna, expressed his desire to have the
Lord with him, neglecting the
powerful Narayani Sena, even though Krishna warned that He
would remain a witness, bound by
the vow of not participating in battle and not taking up arms.
Duryodhana, with great delight,
thinking that Arjuna was foolish, expressed his wish for the
powerful army to help his side in the
battle.
When Krishna asked Arjuna why he chose Him when He was
not for taking up arms, Arjuna
said, “O Lord! You have the power to destroy all the forces by a
mere sight. Why then should I
prefer that worthless army? I have for a long time been
cherishing a desire in my heart that you
should act as my charioteer. Kindly fulfil my desire in this
war.”

vi
The Lord, who is ever the most devoted lover of His devotees,
accepted his request with
pleasure; and thus Krishna became the charioteer of Arjuna in
the battle of the Mahabharata.
After the return of Duryodhana and Arjuna from Dwaraka, Lord
Krishna Himself went once
to Hastinapura as the emissary of the Pandavas and tried to
prevent the war. But then, under the
guidance of Sakuni, the egoistic Duryodhana refused to agree to
the peace mission and tried to
imprison Lord Krishna, at which Krishna showed His Supreme
Form (Viswarupa). Even the blind
Dhritarashtra saw it by the Lord’s Grace. King Dhritarashtra,
due to his attachment to his sons,
failed to control them, and the Kaurava chief, Duryodhana, with
vain hope, decided to meet the
powerful Pandavas in war.
When both sides were prepared to commence the battle, the sage
Veda Vyasa approached
blind Dhritarashtra and said, “If you wish to see this terrible
carnage with your own eyes I can give
you the gift of vision.” The Kaurava king replied, “O Chief of
the Brahmarishis! I have no desire to
see with my own eyes this slaughter of my family, but I should
like to hear all the details of the
battle.”
Then the sage conferred the gift of divine vision on Sanjaya, the
trusty counsellor of the
king, and told the king, “Sanjaya will describe to you all the

incidents of the war. Whatever happens
in the course of the war, he will directly see, hear or otherwise
come to know. Whether an incident
takes place before his eyes or behind his back, during the day or
during the night, privately or in
public, and whether it is reduced to actual action or appears
only in thought, it will not remain
hidden from his view. He will come to know everything, exactly
as it happens. No weapon will
touch his body nor will he feel tired.”
After the ten days of continued war between the Pandavas and
the Kauravas, when the great
warrior Bhishma was thrown down from his chariot by Arjuna,
Sanjaya announces the news to
Dhritarashtra. In agony the king asks Sanjaya to narrate the full
details of the previous ten days war,
from the very beginning, in all detail as it happened. Here
commences the Bhagavad Gita.
vii
I
THE YOGA OF THE DESPONDENCY OF ARJUNA
Summary of First Discourse
The great Mahabharata war between the Pandavas and the
Kauravas took place on the holy
plain of Kurukshetra. After the failure of Lord Krishna’s peace
mission, when He Himself went to
Hastinapura as the emissary of the Pandavas, there was no other
alternative for the Pandavas but to

engage in war for their rightful share of the kingdom.
All the famous warriors from both sides had assembled on the
battlefield. Tents and
wagons, weapons and machines, chariots and animals covered
the vast plain.
Lord Krishna arrived on the scene in a magnificent chariot
yoked by white horses. He was to
act as the charioteer of Arjuna, one of the Pandava princes.
The din of hundreds of conches, blaring forth suddenly,
announced the commencement of
the battle. Arjuna blew his conch “Devadatta”, while Bhima, his
brother, sounded the “Paundra”.
All the other great warriors blew their respective conches.
As the two armies were arrayed, ready for battle, Arjuna
requested Krishna to place his
chariot between them so that he might survey his opponents. He
was bewildered by the scene before
him, for he beheld on both sides, fathers and grandfathers,
teachers and uncles, fathers-in-law,
grandsons, relatives and comrades.
Confusion reigned in Arjuna’s mind. Should he participate in
this terrible carnage? Was it
proper to destroy one’s relatives for the sake of a kingdom and
some pleasures? Would it not be
much better for him to surrender everything in favour of his
enemies and retire in peace? As these
thoughts rushed into his mind, a feeling of despondency
overtook Arjuna. He had no enthusiasm to
engage in this battle. Letting his bow slip from his hands,
Arjuna could do nothing but turn to Lord
Krishna for guidance and enlightenment.

1
BHAGAVAD GITA
Dhritarashtra said:
1. What did the sons of Pandu and also my people do when they
had assembled together, eager
for battle on the holy plain of Kurukshetra, O Sanjaya?
Sanjaya said:
2. Having seen the army of the Pandavas drawn up in battle
array, King Duryodhana then
approached his teacher (Drona) and spoke these words:
2
3. “Behold, O Teacher, this mighty army of the sons of Pandu,
arrayed by the son of
Drupada, thy wise disciple!
4. “Here are heroes, mighty archers, equal in battle to Bhima
and Arjuna, Yuyudhana, Virata and
Drupada, of the great car (mighty warriors),
5. “Drishtaketu, Chekitana and the valiant king of Kasi, Purujit,
and Kuntibhoja and Saibya, the best of
men,
6. “The strong Yudhamanyu and the brave Uttamaujas, the son

of Subhadra (Abhimanyu, the son of
Arjuna), and the sons of Draupadi, all of great chariots (great
heroes).
7. “Know also, O best among the twice-born, the names of those
who are the most distinguished
amongst ourselves, the leaders of my army! These I name to
thee for thy information.
8. “Thyself and Bhishma, and Karna and Kripa, the victorious in
war; Asvatthama, Vikarna, and
Jayadratha, the son of Somadatta.
9. “And also many other heroes who have given up their lives
for my sake, armed with various
weapons and missiles, all well skilled in battle.
10. “This army of ours marshalled by Bhishma is insufficient,
whereas their army, marshalled by
Bhima, is sufficient.
11. “Therefore, do ye all, stationed in your respective positions
in the several divisions of the army,
protect Bhishma alone”.
12. His glorious grandsire (Bhishma), the eldest of the
Kauravas, in order to cheer Duryodhana, now
roared like a lion and blew his conch.
13. Then (following Bhishma), conches and kettle-drums,
tabors, drums and cow-horns
blared forth quite suddenly (from the side of the Kauravas); and
the sound was tremendous.
14. Then also, Madhava (Krishna), and the son of Pandu
(Arjuna), seated in their

magnificent chariot yoked with white horses, blew their divine
conches.
15. Hrishikesa blew the “Panchajanya” and Arjuna blew the
“Devadatta”, and Bhima, the
doer of terrible deeds, blew the great conch, “Paundra”.
16. Yudhisthira, the son of Kunti, blew the “Anantavijaya”; and
Sahadeva and Nakula
blew the “Manipushpaka” and “Sughosha” conches.
17. The king of Kasi, an excellent archer, Sikhandi, the mighty
car-warrior, Dhristadyumna and
Virata and Satyaki, the unconquered,
18. Drupada and the sons of Draupadi, O Lord of the Earth, and
the son of Subhadra, the mighty-
armed, all blew their respective conches!
19. The tumultuous sound rent the hearts of Dhritarashtra’s
party, making both heaven and earth
resound.
20. Then, seeing all the people of Dhritarashtra’s party standing
arrayed and the discharge of
weapons about to begin, Arjuna, the son of Pandu, whose ensign
was that of a monkey, took up
his bow and said the following to Krishna, O Lord of the Earth!
Arjuna said:
21-22. In the middle of the two armies, place my chariot, O
Krishna, so that I may behold those
who stand here, desirous to fight, and know with whom I must

fight when the battle begins.
23. For I desire to observe those who are assembled here to
fight, wishing to please in battle.
Duryodhana, the evil-minded...
26. Then Arjuna beheld there stationed, grandfathers and
fathers, teachers, maternal uncles,
brothers, sons, grandsons and friends, too.
27. (He saw) fathers-in-law and friends also in both armies. The
son of Kunti—Arjuna—seeing
all these kinsmen standing arrayed, spoke thus sorrowfully,
filled with deep pity.
Arjuna said:
28. Seeing these, my kinsmen, O Krishna, arrayed, eager to
fight,
29. My limbs fail and my mouth is parched up, my body quivers
and my hairs stand on end!
30. The (bow) “Gandiva” slips from my hand and my skin burns
all over; I am unable even to
stand, my mind is reeling, as it were.
31. And I see adverse omens, O Kesava! I do not see any good
in killing my kinsmen in battle.
32. For I desire neither victory, O Krishna, nor pleasures nor
kingdoms! Of what avail is a
dominion to us, O Krishna, or pleasures or even life?
33. Those for whose sake we desire kingdoms, enjoyments and
pleasures, stand here in battle,
having renounced life and wealth.

34. Teachers, fathers, sons and also grandfathers, grandsons,
fathers-in-law, maternal uncles,
brothers-in-law and relatives,—
3
35. These I do not wish to kill, though they kill me, O Krishna,
even for the sake of dominion
over the three worlds, leave alone killing them for the sake of
the earth!
36. By killing these sons of Dhritarashtra, what pleasure can be
ours, O Janardana? Only sin will
accrue by killing these felons.
37. Therefore, we should not kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, our
relatives; for, how can we be
happy by killing our own people, O Madhava (Krishna)?
38. Though they, with intelligence overpowered by greed, see
no evil in the destruction of
families, and no sin in hostility to friends,
39. Why should not we, who clearly see evil in the destruction
of a family, learn to turn away
from this sin, O Janardana (Krishna)?
COMMENTARY: Ignorance of the law is no excuse and wanton
sinful conduct is a crime
unworthy of knowledgeable people.

40. In the destruction of a family, the immemorial religious
rites of that family perish; on the
destruction of spirituality, impiety overcomes the whole family.
COMMENTARY: Dharma pertains to the duties and ceremonies
practised by the family in
accordance with scriptural injunctions.
41. By prevalence of impiety, O Krishna, the women of the
family become corrupt and, women
becoming corrupted, O Varsneya (descendant of Vrishni), there
arises intermingling of castes!
42. Confusion of castes leads to hell the slayers of the family,
for their forefathers fall,
deprived of the offerings of rice-ball and water.
43. By these evil deeds of the destroyers of the family, which
cause confusion of castes, the
eternal religious rites of the caste and the family are destroyed.
44. We have heard, O Janardana, that inevitable is the dwelling
for an unknown period in hell
for those men in whose families the religious practices have
been destroyed!
45. Alas! We are involved in a great sin in that we are prepared
to kill our kinsmen through
greed for the pleasures of a kingdom.
46. 46. If the sons of Dhritarashtra, with weapons in hand,
should slay me in battle, unresisting
and unarmed, that would be better for me.
Sanjaya said:
47. Having thus spoken in the midst of the battlefield, Arjuna,

casting away his bow and arrow,
sat down on the seat of the chariot with his mind overwhelmed
with sorrow.
Thus in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita, the
science of the Eternal, the scripture
of Yoga, the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, ends the
first discourse entitled: “The
Yoga Of the Despondency of Arjuna”
4
II
SANKHYA YOGA
Summary of Second Discourse
Sanjaya explains the condition of Arjuna, who was agitated due
to attachment and fear.
Lord Krishna rebukes him for his dejection, which was due to
Moha or attachment, and
exhorts him to fight. After failing to convince Sri Krishna
through his seemingly wise thoughts,
Arjuna realises his helplessness and surrenders himself
completely to the Lord, seeking His
guidance to get over the conflict of his mind.
The Lord takes pity on him and proceeds to enlighten him by
various means. He explains to
Arjuna the imperishable nature of the Atman, for which there is

no past, present and future. The
Atman never dies, therefore Arjuna should not grieve. As It
transcends the five elements, namely,
earth, water, fire, air and ether, It cannot be cut, burnt or dried.
It is unchanging and eternal.
Everyone experiences conditions like pleasure and pain, heat
and cold, due to contact of objects
with the senses. The senses carry the sensations through the
nerves to the mind. One should be able
to withdraw the senses from objects, like the tortoise which
withdraws all its limbs within.
Krishna asserts that only one who has the capacity to be
balanced in pleasure and pain alike is fit
for immortality.
Krishna goes on to tell Arjuna that if he refuses to fight and
flees from the battle, people will be
justified in condemning such action as unworthy of a warrior.
Having taught Arjuna the immortal nature of the Atman, Lord
Krishna turns to the performance
of action without expectation of fruit. A man should not concern
himself about the fruit of the
action, like gain and loss, victory and defeat. These are in the
hands of the Lord. He should
perform all action with a balanced mind, calmly enduring the
pairs of opposites like heat and
cold, pleasure and pain, that inevitably manifest during action.
Krishna advises Arjuna to fight,
free from desire for acquisition of kingdom or preservation of
it.
Arjuna is eager to know the characteristics of a man who has a
stable mind. Such a person,
Krishna tells him, will have no desires at all. Since he is content

within, having realised the Self,
he is entirely free from desires. The consciousness of the Atman
and abandonment of desires are
simultaneous experiences. The various qualities of a
Sthitaprajna (a stable-minded person) are
described by the Lord. He will not be affected by adversity and
will have no fear or anger. He
will take things as they come, and will not have any likes and
dislikes. He will neither hug the
world nor hate it.
The man of stable mind will have perfect control of the senses.
The senses are powerful and draw
the mind outwards. One should therefore turn one’s gaze within
and realise God who resides in
the heart. The Yogi, having achieved a stable mind, remains
steadfast even though all sense-
objects come to him. He is unmoved and lives a life of eternal
peace.
Krishna concludes that the eternal Brahmic state frees one from
delusion forever. Even at the end
of life, when one departs from this body, one does not lose
consciousness of one’s identity with
Brahman.
5
Sanjaya said:
1. To him who was thus overcome with pity and who was
despondent, with eyes full of tears and
agitated, Krishna or Madhusudana (the destroyer of Madhu),
spoke these words.

The Blessed Lord said:
2. Whence is this perilous strait come upon thee, this dejection
which is unworthy of thee,
disgraceful, and which will close the gates of heaven upon thee,
O Arjuna?
3. Yield not to impotence, O Arjuna, son of Pritha! It does not
befit thee. Cast off this mean
weakness of the heart. Stand up, O scorcher of foes!
Arjuna said:
4. How, O Madhusudana, shall I fight in battle with arrows
against Bhishma and Drona, who are
fit to be worshipped, O destroyer of enemies?
5. Better it is, indeed, in this world to accept alms than to slay
the most noble teachers. But if I
kill them, even in this world all my enjoyments of wealth and
desires will be stained with (their)
blood.
6. I can hardly tell which will be better: that we should conquer
them or they should conquer
us. Even the sons of Dhritarashtra, after slaying whom we do
not wish to live, stand facing us.
7. My heart is overpowered by the taint of pity, my mind is
confused as to duty. I ask Thee:
tell me decisively what is good for me. I am Thy disciple.
Instruct me who has taken refuge in
Thee.
8. I do not see that it would remove this sorrow that burns up

my senses even if I should attain
prosperous and unrivalled dominion on earth or lordship over
the gods.
Sanjaya said:
9. Having spoken thus to Hrishikesa (Lord of the senses),
Arjuna (the conqueror of sleep), the
destroyer of foes, said to Krishna: “I will not fight,” and
became silent.
10. To him who was despondent in the midst of the two armies,
Sri Krishna, as if smiling, O
Bharata, spoke these words!
11. Thou hast grieved for those that should not be grieved for,
yet thou speakest words of
wisdom. The wise grieve neither for the living nor for the dead.
6
SANKHYA YOGA
7
SANKHYA YOGA
12. Nor at any time indeed was I not, nor these rulers of men,
nor verily shall we ever cease to be
hereafter.
13. Just as in this body the embodied (soul) passes into

childhood, youth and old age, so also does
he pass into another body; the firm man does not grieve thereat.
14. The contacts of the senses with the objects, O son of Kunti,
which cause heat and cold and
pleasure and pain, have a beginning and an end; they are
impermanent; endure them bravely, O
Arjuna!
15. That firm man whom surely these afflict not, O chief among
men, to whom pleasure and pain
are the same, is fit for attaining immortality!
16. The unreal hath no being; there is no non-being of the Real;
the truth about both has been
seen by the knowers of the Truth (or the seers of the Essence).
COMMENTARY: What is changing must always be unreal.
What is constant or permanent
must always be real. The Atman or the eternal, all-pervading
Self ever exists. It is the only
Reality. This phenomenal world of names and forms is ever
changing. Names and forms are
subject to decay and death. Hence they are unreal or
impermanent.
17. Know That to be indestructible, by whom all this is
pervaded. None can cause the destruction
of That, the Imperishable.
COMMENTARY: The Self pervades all objects like ether. Even
if the pot is broken, the ether
that is within and without it cannot be destroyed. Similarly, if
the bodies and all other objects
perish, the eternal Self that pervades them cannot be destroyed;
It is the living Truth.

18. These bodies of the embodied Self, which is eternal,
indestructible and immeasurable, are
said to have an end. Therefore, fight, O Arjuna!
19. He who takes the Self to be the slayer and he who thinks He
is slain, neither of them knows;
He slays not nor is He slain.
20. He is not born nor does He ever die; after having been, He
again ceases not to be. Unborn,
eternal, changeless and ancient, He is not killed when the body
is killed,
21. Whosoever knows Him to be indestructible, eternal, unborn
and inexhaustible, how can that
man slay, O Arjuna, or cause to be slain?
22. Just as a man casts off worn-out clothes and puts on new
ones, so also the embodied Self casts
off worn-out bodies and enters others that are new.
23. Weapons cut It not, fire burns It not, water wets It not, wind
dries It not.
COMMENTARY: The Self is partless. It is infinite and
extremely subtle. So the sword cannot
cut It, fire cannot burn It, wind cannot dry It.
24. This Self cannot be cut, burnt, wetted nor dried up. It is
eternal, all-pervading, stable, ancient
and immovable.
25. This (Self) is said to be unmanifested, unthinkable and
unchangeable. Therefore, knowing
This to be such, thou shouldst not grieve.

26. But, even if thou thinkest of It as being constantly born and
dying, even then, O mighty-
armed, thou shouldst not grieve!
COMMENTARY: Birth is inevitable to what is dead and death
is inevitable to what is born.
This is the law of Nature. Therefore, one should not grieve.
27. For, certain is death for the born and certain is birth for the
dead; therefore, over the inevitable
thou shouldst not grieve.
28. Beings are unmanifested in their beginning, manifested in
their middle state, O Arjuna, and
unmanifested again in their end! What is there to grieve about?
COMMENTARY: The physical body is a combination of the
five elements. It is perceived by
the physical eye only after the five elements have entered into
such combination. After death the
body disintegrates and all the five elements return to their
source. The body cannot be perceived
now. It can be perceived only in the middle state. He who
understands the nature of the body and
human relationships based upon it will not grieve.
29. One sees This (the Self) as a wonder; another speaks of It as
a wonder; another hears of It as a
wonder; yet, having heard, none understands It at all.
COMMENTARY: The verse may also be interpreted in this
manner: he that sees, hears and
speaks of the Self is a wonderful man. Such a man is very rare.

He is one among many thousands.
Therefore, the Self is very hard to understand.
30. This, the Indweller in the body of everyone, is always
indestructible, O Arjuna! Therefore,
thou shouldst not grieve for any creature.
31. Further, having regard to thy own duty, thou shouldst not
waver, for there is nothing higher
for a Kshatriya than a righteous war.
COMMENTARY: To a Kshatriya (one born in the warrior or
ruling class) nothing is more
welcome than a righteous war.
32. Happy are the Kshatriyas, O Arjuna, who are called upon to
fight in such a battle that comes
of itself as an open door to heaven!
COMMENTARY: The scriptures declare that if a warrior dies
for a righteous cause on the
battlefield he at once ascends to heaven.
33. But, if thou wilt not fight in this righteous war, then, having
abandoned thine duty and fame,
thou shalt incur sin.
34. People, too, will recount thy everlasting dishonour; and to
one who has been honoured,
dishonour is worse than death.
8
SANKHYA YOGA

35. The great car-warriors will think that thou hast withdrawn
from the battle through fear; and
thou wilt be lightly held by them who have thought much of
thee.
36. Thy enemies also, cavilling at thy power, will speak many
abusive words. What is more
painful than this!
37. Slain, thou wilt obtain heaven; victorious, thou wilt enjoy
the earth; therefore, stand up, O son
of Kunti, resolved to fight!
38. Having made pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and
defeat the same, engage thou in
battle for the sake of battle; thus thou shalt not incur sin.
COMMENTARY: This is the Yoga of equanimity or the
doctrine of poise in action. If a person
performs actions with the above mental attitude, he will not
reap the fruits of such actions.
39. This which has been taught to thee, is wisdom concerning
Sankhya. Now listen to wisdom
concerning Yoga, endowed with which, O Arjuna, thou shalt
cast off the bonds of action!
40. In this there is no loss of effort, nor is there any harm (the
production of contrary results or
transgression). Even a little of this knowledge (even a little
practice of this Yoga) protects one
from great fear.
COMMENTARY: In Karma Yoga (selfless action) even a little
effort brings immediate

purification of the heart. Purification of the heart leads to
fearlessness.
41. Here, O joy of the Kurus, there is a single one-pointed
determination! Many-branched and
endless are the thoughts of the irresolute.
42. Flowery speech is uttered by the unwise, who take pleasure
in the eulogising words of the
Vedas, O Arjuna, saying: “There is nothing else!”
COMMENTARY: Unwise people who lack discrimination place
great stress upon the Karma
Kanda or ritualistic portion of the Vedas which lays down
specific rules for specific actions for
the attainment of specific fruit. They extol these actions and
rewards unduly.
43. Full of desires, having heaven as their goal, they utter
speech which promises birth as the
reward of one’s actions, and prescribe various specific actions
for the attainment of pleasure and
power.
44. For those who are much attached to pleasure and to power,
whose minds are drawn away by
such teaching, that determinate faculty is not manifest that is
steadily bent on meditation and
Samadhi (the state of Superconsciousness).
9
BHAGAVAD GITA

48. Perform action, O Arjuna, being steadfast in Yoga,
abandoning attachment and balanced in
success and failure! Evenness of mind is called Yoga.
49. Far lower than the Yoga of wisdom is action, O Arjuna!
Seek thou refuge in wisdom;
wretched are they whose motive is the fruit.
COMMENTARY: Actions done with evenness of mind is the
Yoga of wisdom. Actions
performed by one who expects their fruits are far inferior to the
Yoga of wisdom wherein the
seeker does not seek the fruits. The former leads to bondage,
and is the cause of birth and death.
50. Endowed with wisdom (evenness of mind), one casts off in
this life both good and evildeeds;
therefore, devote thyself to Yoga; Yoga is skill in action.
COMMENTARY: Actions which are of a binding nature lose
that nature when performed with
equanimity of mind.
10
BHAGAVAD GITA
45. The Vedas deal with the three attributes (of Nature); be thou
above these three attributes,
O Arjuna! Free yourself from the pairs of opposites and ever
remain in the quality of Sattwa
(goodness), freed from the thought of acquisition and
preservation, and be established in the Self.
COMMENTARY: Guna means attribute or quality. It is

substance as well as quality. Nature
is made up of three Gunas—Sattwa (purity, light, harmony),
Rajas (passion, restlessness, motion),
and Tamas (inertia, darkness). The pairs of opposites are
pleasure and pain, heat and cold, gain
and loss, victory and defeat, honour and dishonour, praise and
censure.
46. To the Brahmana who has known the Self, all the Vedas are
of as much use as is a reservoir
of water in a place where there is a flood.
COMMENTARY: Only for a sage who has realised the Self are
the Vedas of no use, because he
is in possession of knowledge of the Self. This does not,
however, mean that the Vedas are
useless. They are useful for neophytes or aspirants who have
just started on the spiritual path.
47. Thy right is to work only, but never with its fruits; let not
the fruits of actions be thy motive,
nor let thy attachment be to inaction.
COMMENTARY: Actions done with expectation of its rewards
bring bondage. If you do not
thirst for them, you get purification of heart and ultimately
knowledge of the Self.
11
SANKHYA YOGA
51. The wise, possessed of knowledge, having abandoned the
fruits of their actions, and being

freed from the fetters of birth, go to the place which is beyond
all evil.
COMMENTARY: Clinging to the fruits of actions is the cause
of rebirth. Man has to take a body to
enjoy them. If actions are done for the sake of God, without
desire for the fruits, one is released
from the bonds of birth and death and attains to immortal bliss.
52. When thy intellect crosses beyond the mire of delusion, then
thou shalt attain to indifference
as to what has been heard and what has yet to be heard.
COMMENTARY: The mire of delusion is identification of the
Self with the body and mind.
53. When thy intellect, perplexed by what thou hast heard, shall
stand immovable and steady in
the Self, then thou shalt attain Self-realisation.
Arjuna said:
54. What, O Krishna, is the description of him who has steady
wisdom and is merged in the
Superconscious State? How does one of steady wisdom speak?
How does he sit? How does he
walk?
55. When a man completely casts off, O Arjuna, all the desires
of the mind and is satisfied in the
Self by the Self, then is he said to be one of steady wisdom!
COMMENTARY: All the pleasures of the world are worthless
to an illumined sage who is ever

content in the immortal Self.
56. He whose mind is not shaken by adversity, who does not
hanker after pleasures, and who is
free from attachment, fear and anger, is called a sage of steady
wisdom.
57. He who is everywhere without attachment, on meeting with
anything good or bad, who neither
rejoices nor hates, his wisdom is fixed.
58. When, like the tortoise which withdraws its limbs on all
sides, he withdraws his senses from
the sense-objects, then his wisdom becomes steady.
59. The objects of the senses turn away from the abstinent man,
leaving the longing (behind); but
his longing also turns away on seeing the Supreme.
60. The turbulent senses, O Arjuna, do violently carry away the
mind of a wise man though he be
striving (to control them)!
61. Having restrained them all he should sit steadfast, intent on
Me; his wisdom is steady whose
senses are under control.
62. When a man thinks of the objects, attachment to them
arises; from attachment desire is born;
from desire anger arises.
63. From anger comes delusion; from delusion the loss of
memory; from loss of memory the
destruction of discrimination; from the destruction of

discrimination he perishes.
64. But the self-controlled man, moving amongst objects with
the senses under restraint, and free
from attraction and repulsion, attains to peace.
65. In that peace all pains are destroyed, for the intellect of the
tranquil-minded soon becomes
steady.
COMMENTARY: When peace is attained all miseries end.
66. There is no knowledge of the Self to the unsteady, and to
the unsteady no meditation is
possible; and to the un-meditative there can be no peace; and to
the man who has no peace, how
can there be happiness?
67. For the mind which follows in the wake of the wandering
senses, carries away his
discrimination as the wind (carries away) a boat on the waters.
68. Therefore, O mighty-armed Arjuna, his knowledge is steady
whose senses are completely
restrained from sense-objects!
69. That which is night to all beings, then the self-controlled
man is awake; when all beings are
awake, that is night for the sage who sees.
COMMENTARY: The sage lives in the Self; this is day to him.
He is unconscious of worldly
phenomena; this is like night to him. The ordinary man is
unconscious of his real nature. So life
in the Self is like night to him. He experiences sense-objects;
this is day to him.

70. He attains peace into whom all desires enter as waters enter
the ocean, which, filled from all
sides, remains unmoved; but not the man who is full of desires.
71. The man attains peace, who, abandoning all desires, moves
about without longing, without
the sense of mine and without egoism.
72. This is the Brahmic seat (eternal state), O son of Pritha!
Attaining to this, none is deluded.
Being established therein, even at the end of life one attains to
oneness with Brahman.
Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita, the science of the
Eternal, the scripture of Yoga, the
dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, ends the second
discourse entitled: “The Sankhya
Yoga”
12
SANKHYA YOGA
III
THE YOGA OF ACTION
Summary of Third Discourse
In order to remove Moha or attachment, which was the sole
cause of Arjuna’s delusion, Sri
Krishna taught him the imperishable nature of the Atman, the
realisation of which would grant him

the freedom of the Eternal. A doubt therefore arises in Arjuna’s
mind as to the necessity of engaging
in action even after one has attained this state.
Sri Krishna clears this doubt by telling him that although one
has realised oneness with the
Eternal, one has to perform action through the force of Prakriti
or Nature. He emphasises that
perfection is attained not by ceasing to engage in action but by
doing all actions as a divine offering,
imbued with a spirit of non-attachment and sacrifice.
The man of God-vision, Sri Krishna explains to Arjuna, need
not engage in action, as he has
attained everything that has to be attained. He can be ever
absorbed in the calm and immutable Self.
But to perform action for the good of the world and for the
education of the masses is no doubt
superior. Therefore, action is necessary not only for one who
has attained perfection but also for one
who is striving for perfection. Sri Krishna quotes the example
of Janaka, the great sage-king of
India, who continued to rule his kingdom even after attaining
God-realisation.
Prakriti or Nature is made up of the three qualities—Rajas,
Tamas and Sattwa. The Atman is
beyond these three qualities and their functions. Only when
knowledge of this fact dawns in man
does he attain perfection.
The Lord tells Arjuna that each one should do his duty
according to his nature, and that
doing duty that is suited to one’s nature in the right spirit of
detachment will lead to perfection.

Arjuna raises the question as to why man commits such actions
that cloud his mind and drag
him downwards, by force, as it were. Sri Krishna answers that it
is desire that impels man to lose his
discrimination and understanding, and thus commit wrong
actions. Desire is the root cause of all
evil actions. If desire is removed, then the divine power
manifests in its full glory and one enjoys
peace, bliss, light and freedom.
Arjuna said:
1. If it be thought by Thee that knowledge is superior to action,
O Krishna, why then, O
Kesava, dost Thou ask me to engage in this terrible action?
2. With these apparently perplexing words Thou confusest, as it
were, my understanding;
therefore, tell me that one way for certain by which I may attain
bliss.
13
THE YOGA OF ACTION
3. In this world there is a twofold path, as I said before, O
sinless one,—the path of knowledge
of the Sankhyas and the path of action of the Yogis!
4. Not by the non-performance of actions does man reach
actionlessness, nor by mere
renunciation does he attain to perfection.

COMMENTARY: Even if a man abandons action, his mind may
be active. One cannot reach
perfection or freedom from action or knowledge of the Self,
merely by renouncing action. He
must possess knowledge of the Self.
5. Verily none can ever remain for even a moment without
performing action; for, everyone is
made to act helplessly indeed by the qualities born of Nature.
COMMENTARY: The ignorant man is driven to action
helplessly by the actions of the Gunas
—Rajas, Tamas and Sattwa.
6. He who, restraining the organs of action, sits thinking of the
sense-objects in mind, he, of
deluded understanding, is called a hypocrite.
7. But whosoever, controlling the senses by the mind, O Arjuna,
engages himself in Karma
Yoga with the organs of action, without attachment, he excels!
8. Do thou perform thy bounden duty, for action is superior to
inaction and even the
maintenance of the body would not be possible for thee by
inaction.
9. The world is bound by actions other than those performed for
the sake of sacrifice; do thou,
therefore, O son of Kunti, perform action for that sake (for
sacrifice) alone, free from
attachment!
COMMENTARY: If anyone does actions for the sake of the
Lord, he is not bound. His heart is

purified by performing actions for the sake of the Lord. Where
this spirit of unselfishness does
not govern the action, such actions bind one to worldliness,
however good or glorious they may
be.
...
15. Know thou that action comes from Brahma, and Brahma
proceeds from the Imperishable.
Therefore, the all-pervading (Brahma) ever rests in sacrifice.
14
BHAGAVAD GITA
16. He who does not follow the wheel thus set revolving, who is
of sinful life, rejoicing in the
senses, he lives in vain, O Arjuna!
COMMENTARY: He who does not follow the wheel by
studying the Vedas and performing
the sacrifices prescribed therein, but who indulges only in
sensual pleasures, lives in vain. He
wastes his life.
17. But for that man who rejoices only in the Self, who is
satisfied in the Self, who is content
in the Self alone, verily there is nothing to do.
18. For him there is no interest whatsoever in what is done or
what is not done; nor does he
depend on any being for any object.

COMMENTARY: The sage who rejoices in his own Self does
not gain anything by doing
any action. To him no real purpose is served by engaging in any
action. No evil can touch him
as a result of inaction. He does not lose anything by being
inactive.
19. Therefore, without attachment, do thou always perform
action which should be done; for,
by performing action without attachment man reaches the
Supreme.
...
21. Whatsoever a great man does, that other men also do;
whatever he sets up as the standard,
that the world follows.
...
30. Renouncing all actions in Me, with the mind centred in the
Self, free from hope and
egoism, and from (mental) fever, do thou fight.
COMMENTARY: Surrender all actions to Me with the thought:
“I perform all actions for the
sake of the Lord only.”
31. Those men who constantly practise this teaching of Mine
with faith and without cavilling,
they too are freed from actions.
32. But those who carp at My teaching and do not practise it,
deluded in all knowledge and
devoid of discrimination, know them to be doomed to
destruction.
33. Even a wise man acts in accordance with his own nature;

beings will follow nature; what
can restraint do?
COMMENTARY: Only the ignorant man comes under the sway
of his natural propensities.
The seeker after Truth who is endowed with the ‘Four Means’
and who constantly practises
meditation, can easily control Nature if he rises above the sway
of the pairs of opposites, like
love and hate, etc.
15
BHAGAVAD GITA
34. Attachment and aversion for the objects of the senses abide
in the senses; let none come under
their sway, for they are his foes.
35. Better is 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 fraught
with fear.
Arjuna said:
36. But impelled by what does man commit sin, though against
his wishes, O Varshneya
(Krishna), constrained, as it were, by force?
37. It is desire, it is anger born of the quality of Rajas, all-
sinful and all-devouring; know this as

the foe here (in this world).
38. As fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror by dust, and as
an embryo by the amnion, so is this
enveloped by that.
39. O Arjuna, wisdom is enveloped by this constant enemy of
the wise in the form of desire,
which is unappeasable as fire!
40. The senses, mind and intellect are said to be its seat;
through these it deludes the embodied by
veiling his wisdom.
41. Therefore, O best of the Bharatas (Arjuna), controlling the
senses first, do thou kill this sinful
thing (desire), the destroyer of knowledge and realisation!
42. They say that the senses are superior (to the body); superior
to the senses is the mind; superior
to the mind is the intellect; and one who is superior even to the
intellect is He—the Self.
43. Thus, knowing Him who is superior to the intellect and
restraining the self by the Self, slay
thou, O mighty-armed Arjuna, the enemy in the form of desire,
hard to conquer!
COMMENTARY: Restrain the lower self by the higher Self.
Subdue the lower mind by the
higher mind. It is difficult to conquer desire because it is of a
highly complex and
incomprehensible nature. But a man of discrimination and
dispassion, who does constant and
intense Sadhana, can conquer it quite easily.
Thus in the Upanishads of the glorious Bhagavad Gita, the

science of the Eternal, the scripture of
Yoga, the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna, ends the
third discourse entitled: “The Yoga
of Action”
16
THE YOGA OF ACTION
IV
THE YOGA OF WISDOM
Summary of Fourth Discourse
Lord Krishna declares that He is born from age to age, in order
to raise man and take him to
the Supreme. Whenever there is a prevalence of unrighteousness
and the world is ruled by the
forces of darkness, the Lord manifests Himself to destroy these
adverse forces and to establish
peace, order and harmony. Hence we see the appearance of the
great saviours of the world.
What is the secret of Yogic action? This the Lord proceeds to
explain to Arjuna. Even
though one is not engaged in action, but if the mind is active
with the idea of doership and egoism,
then it is action in inaction. On the other hand, though engaged
physically in intense action, if the
idea of agency is absent, if one feels that Prakriti does
everything, it is inaction in action. The
liberated man is free from attachment and is always calm and
serene though engaged in ceaseless

action. He is unaffected by the pairs of opposites like joy and
grief, success and failure.
One who has true union with the Lord is not subject to rebirth.
He attains immortality. Such
a union can only be achieved when one is free from attachment,
fear and anger, being thoroughly
purified by right knowledge. The Lord accepts the devotion of
all, whatever path they may use to
approach Him.
Various kinds of sacrifices are performed by those engaged in
the path to God. Through the
practice of these sacrifices the mind is purified and led
Godward. Here also there must be the spirit
of non-attachment to the fruits of actions.
Divine wisdom, according to Sri Krishna, should be sought at
the feet of a liberated Guru,
one who has realised the Truth. The aspirant should approach
such a sage in a spirit of humility and
devotion. God Himself manifests in the heart of the Guru and
instructs the disciple. Having
understood the Truth from the Guru by direct intuitive
experience the aspirant is no longer deluded
by ignorance.
The liberated aspirant directly beholds the Self in all beings and
all beings in the Self. He
cognises through internal experience or intuition that all beings,
from the Creator down to a blade of
grass, exist in his own Self and also in God.
Arjuna is given the most heartening assurance that divine
wisdom liberates even the most
sinful. When knowledge of the Self dawns, all actions with their

results are burnt by the fire of that
knowledge, just as fuel is burnt by fire. When there is no idea
of egoism, when there is no desire for
the fruits of one’s actions, actions are no actions. They lose
their potency.
In order to attain divine wisdom one must have supreme faith
and devotion. Faith is
therefore the most important qualification for a spiritual
aspirant. The doubting mind is always led
17
THE YOGA OF WISDOM
astray from the right path. Faith ultimately confers divine
knowledge, which removes ignorance
once and for all.
Mere intellectual knowledge does not lead to liberation. It
cannot grant one supreme peace
and freedom. When one has achieved complete self-mastery and
self-control, when one has intense
faith and devotion, then true knowledge dawns within and one
attains liberation and freedom from
all weaknesses and sins.
The Lord concludes by emphasising that the soul that doubts
goes to destruction. Without
faith in oneself, in the scriptures and in the words of the
preceptor, one cannot make any headway
on the spiritual path. It is doubt that prevents one from
engaging in spiritual Sadhana and realising
the highest knowledge and bliss. By following the instructions

of the Guru and through sincere
service, one’s doubts are rent asunder and divine knowledge
manifests itself within. Spiritual
progress then goes on at a rapid pace.
18
BHAGAVAD GITA
V
THE YOGA OF RENUNCIATION OF ACTION
Summary of Fifth Discourse
In spite of Sri Krishna’s clear instructions, Arjuna still seems to
be bewildered. He wants to
know conclusively which is superior, the path of action or the
path of renunciation of action.
The Lord says that both the paths lead to the highest goal of
God-realisation. In both cases
the final realisation of the Atman is the aim, but the path of
Karma Yoga is superior. Actually there
is no real difference between the two.
Krishna further asserts that perfection can be attained and one
can be established in the
Atman only after the mind has been purified through the
performance of selfless action. The Karma
Yogi who is aware of the Atman and who is constantly engaged
in action knows that although the
intellect, mind and senses are active, he does not do anything.
He is a spectator of everything. He
dedicates all his actions to the Lord and thus abandons
attachment, ever remaining pure and

unaffected. He surrenders himself completely to the Divine
Shakti. Having completely rooted out
all desires, attachments and the ego, he is not born again.
The sage who has realised Brahman and is always absorbed in It
does not have any rebirth.
Such a sage sees Brahman within and without—within as the
static and transcendent Brahman, and
without as the entire universe. He sees the one Self in all beings
and creatures—in a cow, an
elephant, and even in a dog and an outcaste. He is ever free
from joy and grief and enjoys eternal
peace and happiness. He does not depend upon the senses for
his satisfaction. On the other hand the
enjoyments of the senses are generators of pain. They are
impermanent. Sri Krishna reminds Arjuna
that desire is the main cause of pain and suffering. It is the
cause of anger. Therefore, the aspirant
should try to eradicate desire and anger if he is to reach the
Supreme.
The Lord concludes by describing how to control the senses,
mind and intellect by
concentrating between the eyebrows and practising Pranayama.
One who has achieved perfect
control of the outgoing senses and is freed from desire, anger
and fear attains liberation and enjoys
perfect peace.
19
BHAGAVAD GITA

VI
THE YOGA OF MEDITATION
Summary of Sixth Discourse
Sri Krishna emphasises once again that the Yogi or Sannyasin is
one who has renounced the
fruits of actions, not the actions themselves. The performance of
actions without an eye on their
fruits brings about the purification of the mind. Only a purified
mind, a mind free from desires, can
engage itself in constant meditation on the Atman. Desire gives
rise to imagination or Sankalpa,
which drives the soul into the field of action. Therefore, none
can realise permanent freedom and
tranquillity of mind without renouncing desires.
The lower self must be controlled by the higher Self. All the
lower impulses of the body,
mind and senses must be controlled by the power of the higher
Self. Then the higher Self becomes
one’s friend. He who has perfect control of the body, mind and
senses and is united with God, sees
God in all objects and beings. He sees inwardly that there is no
difference between gold and stone,
between friends and enemies, between the righteous and the
unrighteous. He is perfectly
harmonised.
Sri Krishna proceeds to give various practical hints as to the
practice of meditation. The
aspirant should select a secluded spot where there is no
likelihood of disturbance. He should
arrange his meditation seat properly and sit in a comfortable
posture, with the head, neck and spine

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