A Song of Fortune - A Classical Gita: Chapter 5

(1) Arjuna said: 'Krishna, you praise a turn to the better of uniting in consciousness as also a turn to the renunciation of productive labor; but what would be the best, please be definitive on this.'

(2) The man of fortune said: 'Both the work done for the uniting as the all together forsaking of profit-minded work lead to liberation, but the way you put it I'd say that compared to the forsaking of profit-minded work, the action in service of the unification is the better. (3) Always consider him a renouncer who hates nor desires; free from the duality he, oh man of grip, is happy to be completely free from being materially bound. (4) Ignorantly one says that the intellectual consideration of the world differs from the uniting in consciousness, but the learned don't see it like that. From either of the two positions one arrives logically at the complete of the both of them. (5) That what is achieved by intellectual endeavor you also achieve in service of the uniting, and thus he who considers study and selfless action as one sees things as they are.

(6) But the forsaking, oh man of grip, will result in distress if there's no uniting to it in consciousness, while a thinker connected in the uniting attains the supreme spirit without delay. (7) Connected in the uniting a pure soul, who self-controlled has subdued the senses, will be compassionate with all living entities and never be affected, irrespective the work he does. (8-9) To the smelling, hearing, seeing, touching, walking, dreaming and breathing of the body the man of truth says: 'Most certainly I am, in my being connected, not doing a thing'; he considers all the talking, forsaking, accepting, opening and closing of his eyes, merely an engagement of the senses. (10) Like a lotus leaf in the water he, who resigns all his activities to the spiritual in forsaking his attachments, proceeding thus, is never affected by any misfortune and trouble. (11) In giving up the attachment of the self they who are united within as being one, are with their body, mind and intelligence, and even with their senses, in their activities engaged for the sake of purification. (12) Connected forsaking the profit in their work they undaunted achieve peace, while they who are not connected get entangled in their attachment to enjoy the fruits of labor.

(13) In this mind of forsaking all activities the embodied one who is of control, lives happily in the city with the nine gates, the body; never is he the one who does anything, nor does he lead to anything.²⁷ (14) He is never the owner, nor the doer, nor does he make other people act, nor does he create the results; it is all enacted by nature itself. (15) Never is the Almighty in His control assuming of anyone that he would be bad or good; no, He is rather concerned with the bewilderment of the living entities whose knowledge is covered by ignorance.

(16) To that soul, however, of whom the ignorance has been destroyed by âtmatattva, the supreme reality of spiritual knowledge is disclosed like a rising sun. (17) And for that reason you will not return to the physical concept of life once you've fixed your intelligence on that, once you've set your life to that, are faithful to that and seek your refuge in that; with that being so, by that âtmatattva, you will shake off all your misgivings. (18) Whether it concerns a brahmin of virtue and achievement, a cow, an elephant, a dog or a drop-out, the one of wisdom regards them all equal-minded. (19) They who with a mind fixed in such a sameness are flawless in spiritual equanimity, are situated in the beyond; they have defeated birth and death. (20) Not too cheerful with successes, nor really being moved by the unpleasant, he who, not bewildered knowing the spiritual, relies on his own intelligence, is situated in transcendence. (21) He who, not attached to superficial pleasures, manages to concentrate on the spiritual of being connected in the soul, will within himself enjoy an unlimited happiness. (22) The intelligent never take delight in that what in association with the senses brings the misery, for such things are always temporary with a beginning and an end, oh son of aunt Kuntî. (23) He who, living with the body, before he forsakes his physical frame, is able to tolerate the lust and the anger that rise from its urges, is a person of integrity and happiness. (24) Anyone who, being happy from within, dwells on the inner light, is a united âtmatattva person who, liberated in the spirit, is capable of following his own course with God. (25) They who free from self-righteousness, living the inner life, reach that spiritual liberation, are, beyond the duality being situated in self-realization, actually engaged in serving the welfare of all living beings. (26) They who in their renunciation were liberated from the lust and anger, have subdued their mind, so that they, with what they learned from the soul, soon are certain of the supreme its beatitude. (27-28) Not looking for the unnecessary in the outer world the person has innerly risen above the things of the world, and is he, in his practice of concentrating between the eyebrows, suspending the in- and outgoing breath, keeping the air in the nose, and with the senses, mind and intelligence thus set to liberation, someone who, having discarded all desires, fears and anger, most certainly is always of that liberation. (29) Considering me and what I stand for as the purpose of the sacrifices, penances and austerities, as the one fortunate in all the worlds who is the blessing of all living beings, will one thus find peace.'