CHAPTER 18a: THE YOGA OF LIBERATION THROUGH RENUNCIATION

About renunciation and its threefold nature.

 (1) Arjuna said: 'One by one I wish to know about the reality of the renounced order, oh mighty armed one, and to understand what renunciation is, oh master of the senses, killer of Kes'î [Kes'î was a mad horse once defeated by Krishna].'

(2) The Supreme Lord said: 'Giving up the desire of [material] activities is what the learned know as the renounced order [sannyâs] while the forsaking of all fruits of action is what the experienced call renunciation [tyâga]. (3) One group of great minds says that fruitive work [karma] is an evil and must thus be given up while others say that the works of sacrifice, charity and penance are never to be given up in this. (4) To be sure about this renunciation, oh best of the Bhâratas, it is in fact declared to be of three kinds, o tiger among men: (5) Sacrifice, charity and penance; they are never to be given up and for sure obliged to do that sacrifice, charity and penance there is even for the great souls purification. (6) But with all these activities must without doubt, performing them out of duty, the association with their results be given up; that, oh son of Prithâ, is My last and best word on it.

(7) Renunciation then of activities never implies the forsaking of prescribed duties; a renunciation thus led by illusion is declared to be of ignorance. (8) He who performs renunciation and gives up out of fear, because such a workload might be troublesome or a discomfort to the body, is for sure of passion and never certain of the outcome. (9) Prescribed work then indeed done out of discipline, oh Arjuna, and in association with giving up on the result - that renunciation is, in My view, of goodness. (10) The renouncer who never hates disagreeable work nor gets attached to the agreeable is absorbed in goodness and has an intelligence free from doubt. (11) For sure it is not possible for the embodied one to be renounced in all activities together, but the renouncer is said to be anyone who is the renouncer of the fruit of labor. (12) The three kinds of karmic consequence of finding things going to hell, reaching to heaven or having a mixture of these, come after leaving the world for those who did not renounce, but this is never the case for the renounced order.

(13) Understand from Me that it is said that, in the end of Vedic analysis, oh mighty armed one, for the perfection of all activities, there are these five agents: (14) The place, the doer, the variety of different means and the separate ways as surely also the divine as the fifth. (15) These are the five that lead to all the karma which one physically takes up, in speech and in mind, doing right or the contrary. (16) So, anyone who sees his soul in this as the only agent is then not led by intelligence; he is of a foolish vision. (17) One whose nature is never falsely identified; one whose intelligence is never blinded; he, even killing in this world, never kills nor does he become entangled.

(18) Knowledge, the known and knower are the three incentives for action; the senses [or sense-organs], the karma and the doer are, as you know, the threefold constituents. (19) One says that knowledge, action and the doer are for certain as well of three kinds in terms of the three modes of nature; hear also how they are all set apart. (20) That knowledge by which one sees the imperishable ground of all living entities as undivided although they are divided in number, you should know to be in goodness. (21) But that knowledge which of division to the diverse situations understands [that ground] as different in all the living beings must be known as being of passion. (22) And that [knowing] which is fixed on one type of work as if that would be all, is unfounded, lacks in reality and is too easy; it is said to be of darkness.

(23) That action which is regulated, without attachment, like or dislike and done without desiring the result is said to be of goodness. (24) But that work which is done in hot pursuit, identified with the material, or again is done with a lot of pressure; that is said to be in the mode of passion. (25) And that work which is after attachment, is destructive, causes distress and has no regard for the consequences or is begun being mistaken about ones own capacity; that is said to be of ignorance.

(26) A worker freed from attachment, not to the service of the body, qualified with resolve doing the best he can, unwavering in accomplishment and failure, one says is in the mode of goodness. (27) A worker is declared to be of passion if he is very attached in his desire of working for the result, is avaricious, of a violent nature, impure in his motives and led by joy and sorrow. (28) Unconnected, materialistic, obstinate, deceitful, waging against others, lazy, morose and procrastinating is what one says of the worker in the mode of ignorance.

(29) O winner of wealth, now listen as I describe to you in detail how the individual types of intelligence and conviction are certainly also differing in three kinds to the modes of nature. (30) Oh son of Prithâ, understanding, which knows how to move onwards and how to refrain from it, what should be done and what not, what is to be feared and not to be feared and what is of bondage and what of liberation; know that to be of goodness. (31) Not precisely knowing of what is to the original nature and what goes against, what would be right and what would be wrong; that intelligence, oh son of Prithâ, is in the mode of passion. (32) The intelligence which thus covered by illusio thinks unrighteousness to be true nature and thinks that everything goes the wrong way; that intelligence, oh son of Prithâ, is of ignorance.

(33) That bearing which by an unbroken practice of yoga retains the activity of the mind, the life force and the sense-organs; that resolve, oh son of Prithâ, is of the mode of goodness. (34) But the attitude, oh Arjuna, by which one holds on to one's righteous duty, enjoyment and material progress out of attachment in desiring the fruits; that determination, oh son of Prithâ is in the mode of passion. (35) That will by which one never gives up the sleeping, fearing, lamenting, drooping and surely also the presuming, is of an unintelligent attitude in the mode of ignorance, oh son of Prithâ.

(36) But hear from Me now about three kinds of happiness one enjoys by fortitude, oh best amongst the Bhâratas and of which one reaches the end of sorrow. (37) That happiness which is in the beginning like poison but in the end compares with nectar, is in the mode of goodness said to be born in the soul from the grace of intelligence. (38) That happiness which results from the contact of the senses with the sense objects and which in the beginning is just like nectar but in the end is like poison; that happiness is considered to be in the mode of passion. (39) That which from the beginning to the end is happiness produced by self-deception, sloth, laziness and misunderstanding, that is said to be of ignorance. (40) There is no being in existence either on earth or in the higher spheres among the divine, that is free from the influence of these three modes of material nature.'

 


 


 

 

 

Filognostic* understanding of the Bhagavad Gîtâ of Order

Text 1

Arjuna said: 'One by one I wish to know about the reality of the renounced order, oh mighty armed one, and to understand what renunciation is, oh master of the senses, killer of Kes'î [Kes'î was a mad horse once defeated by Krishna].'

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

Arjuna said: 'Oh man of grip and master of the senses, I'd like to know what the truth of the renounced order is and what I, apart from that order, should understand of renunciation, oh devil slayer.' (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 2

The Supreme Lord said: 'Giving up the desire of [material] activities is what the learned know as the renounced order [sannyâs] while the forsaking of all fruits of action is what the experienced call renunciation [tyâga].

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

The fortunate one said: 'What the learned know as the renounced order, entails that one gives up to lust for the karma; men of wisdom speak of renunciation when the profit motive in all endeavors is forsaken. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 3

One group of great minds says that fruitive work [karma] is an evil and must thus be given up while others say that the works of sacrifice, charity and penance are never to be given up in this.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

One group of thinkers says that karma is an evil thing and that it therefore must be given up, while others stress that, in this matter, the works of sacrifice, charity and penance never should be given up. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 4

To be sure about this renunciation, oh best of the Bhâratas, it is in fact declared to be of three kinds, oh tiger among men:

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

To be clear about this matter of renunciation, oh best of the Kuru dynasty, one in fact speaks of three kinds, oh tiger among men. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 5

Sacrifice, charity and penance; they are never to be given up and for sure obliged to do that sacrifice, charity and penance there is even for the great souls purification.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

Indeed acts of sacrifice, charity and penance must never be given up, for even the greatest souls find purification in that sacrifice, charity and penance. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 6

But with all these activities must without doubt, performing them out of duty, the association with their results be given up; that, oh son of Prithâ, is My last and best word on it.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

But no doubt with all these actions one performs out of duty, the association with their results must be given up; that, o son of Prithâ, is my final and best statement about it. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 7

Renunciation then of activities never implies the forsaking of prescribed duties; a renunciation thus led by illusion is declared to be of ignorance.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

To renounce in karmic matters never implies that one forsakes prescribed duties; such a renunciation led by illusion, is declared to be of ignorance. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 8

He who performs renunciation and gives up out of fear, because such a workload might be troublesome or a discomfort to the body, is for sure of passion and never certain of the outcome.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

He who gives up out of fear, or because a certain workload might be too troublesome or maybe a discomfort to the body, is most certainly a renouncer in the grip of passion, someone who never gets the point of renunciation. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 9

Prescribed work then indeed done out of discipline, oh Arjuna, and in association with giving up on the result - that renunciation is, in My view, of goodness.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

When one for a fixed period of time works for a result and combines that with a forsaking of the profit motive at other times, such a renunciation Arjuna, is to my opinion, of goodness. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 10

The renouncer who never hates disagreeable work nor gets attached to the agreeable is absorbed in goodness and has an intelligence free from doubt.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

He who, intelligent enough, cutting with the doubts, is of the forsaking, but never hates it to suffer some stress in working for a result, nor gets attached to the pleasure of exercising his skills in it, is absorbed in goodness. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 11

For sure it is not possible for the embodied one to be renounced in all activities together, but the renouncer is said to be anyone who is the renouncer of the fruit of labor.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

Surely it is for the one embodied impossible to be completely renounced in all his activities, but one is said to be a renouncer when one is a renouncer of the fruit of one's labor. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 12

The three kinds of karmic consequence of finding things going to hell, reaching to heaven or having a mixture of these, come after leaving the world for those who did not renounce, but this is never the case for the renounced order.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

When one turns away from the world there are, for the ones who were not of renunciation, the three kinds of karmic consequences of finding things going to hell, reaching to heaven or having a mixture of these, but this is never the case for those belonging to the renounced order.35 (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 13

Understand from Me that it is said that, in the end of Vedic analysis, o mighty armed one, for the perfection of all activities, there are these five agents:

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

Take it from me that, as the analytic conclusion, there are these five causes, o man of grip, which are said to serve the perfection of all activities: (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 14

The place, the doer, the variety of different means and the separate ways as surely also the divine as the fifth.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

The locality, the person, the material means, the avenues taken and that what fate arranges.36 (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 15

These are the five that lead to all the karma which one physically takes up, in speech and in mind, doing right or the contrary.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

Whatever work a person engages in physically, in speech or in mind, doing the right or the wrong thing, is of these five causes. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 16

So, anyone who sees his soul in this as the only agent is then not led by intelligence; he is of a foolish vision.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

So, anyone who thinks that the individual soul at work would be the only agent, is, foolishly not using his intelligence, not seeing matters as they are. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 17

One whose nature is never falsely identified; one whose intelligence is never blinded; he, even killing in this world, never kills nor does he become entangled.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

Someone who is not led by the ego nor is looking for someone else never gets entangled and is, even if he out here killed someone, never the one who can be designated as the cause. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 18

Knowledge, the known and knower are the three incentives for action; the senses [or sense-organs], the karma and the doer are, as you know, the threefold constituents.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

What impels to action are the three factors of the knower, the knowledge and the known, while the worker, the working and the senses at work are the three agents to which the karma adds up. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 19

One says that knowledge, action and the doer are for certain as well of three kinds in terms of the three modes of nature; hear also how they are all set apart.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

One says that concerning the knowledge, the work and the performer there are three different qualities in terms of the different modes as well; also hear what they all are. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 20

That knowledge by which one sees the imperishable ground of all living entities as undivided although they are divided in number, you should know to be in goodness.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

That knowledge by which one of the living beings, despite of their being divided in countless numbers, sees their imperishable ground as one and undivided, you should know to be of goodness. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 21

But that knowledge which of division to the diverse situations understands [that ground] as different in all the living beings must be known as being of passion.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

But that knowledge by which one perceives the living being, because of its being divided over different conditions, as being different in all these life forms, must be considered as being of passion. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 22

And that [knowing] which is fixed on one type of work as if that would be all, is unfounded, lacks in reality and is too easy; it is said to be of darkness.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

And when one is fixed on one thing as if that would be all, that type of knowing, being all too easy, unfounded and unrealistic, is said to be of darkness. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 23

That action which is regulated, without attachment, like or dislike and done without desiring the result is said to be of goodness.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

That work which is scheduled, and which, free from attachment, like or dislike, is performed without a desire for some result, is said to be of goodness. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 24

But that work which is done in hot pursuit, identified with the material, or again is done with a lot of pressure; that is said to be in the mode of passion.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

But proceeding with ego in great effort to achieve results, one's work is said to be of the mode of passion. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 25

And that work which is after attachment, is destructive, causes distress and has no regard for the consequences or is begun being mistaken about ones own capacity; that is said to be of ignorance.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

One's work is said to be of the mode of ignorance when one, motivated for attachments, self-willed, in disregard of possible consequences, destructive and distressful to others, engages with illusion. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 26

A worker freed from attachment, not to the service of the body, qualified with resolve doing the best he can, unwavering in accomplishment and failure, one says is in the mode of goodness.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

A worker, free from attachment and conceit of ego, who qualified, with resolve, and unwavering in accomplishment and failure, does the best he can, is said to be of the mode of goodness. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 27

A worker is declared to be of passion if he is very attached in his desire of working for the result, is avaricious, of a violent nature,impure in his motives and led by joy and sorrow.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

A worker who, insisting on results, is led by joy and sorrow and who, impure in his motives, is avaricious and of a violent nature, is declared to be of passion. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 28

Unconnected, materialistic, obstinate, deceitful, waging against others, lazy, morose and procrastinating is what one says of the worker in the mode of ignorance.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

Of the worker in the mode of ignorance one says that he, being materialistic, obstinate and deceitful, is not connected and that he, in his anti-social attitude, is lazy, morose and procrastinating. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 29

O winner of wealth, now listen as I describe to you in detail how the individual types of intelligence and conviction are certainly also differing in three kinds to the modes of nature.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

O winner of the wealth, now hear me describing in detail how, according to the different modes, the individual types of intelligence and conviction differ as well in three respects. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 30

Oh son of Prithâ, understanding, which knows how to move onwards and how to refrain from it, what should be done and what not, what is to be feared and not to be feared and what is of bondage and what of liberation; know that to be of goodness.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

Oh son of Prithâ, that understanding is of goodness which knows of progress as also of arrest, which knows what should and what should not be done, what is to be feared and not to be feared, and what is of bondage and what of liberation. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 31

Not precisely knowing of what is to the original nature and what goes against, what would be right and what would be wrong; that intelligence, oh son of Prithâ, is in the mode of passion.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

That intelligence, oh son of aunt Prithâ, which does not precisely know what belongs to the original nature and what goes against that nature, nor what would be right or what would be wrong, is an intelligence in the mode of passion which is not seeing things clearly. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 32

The intelligence which thus covered by illusion thinks unrighteousness to be true nature and thinks that everything goes the wrong way; that intelligence, oh son of Prithâ, is of ignorance.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

Oh son of Prithâ, that intelligence in which, covered by illusion, everything goes awry and one takes that what is unrighteous for something righteous, is of ignorance. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 33

That bearing which by an unbroken practice of yoga retains the activity of the mind, the life force and the sense-organs; that resolve, oh son of Prithâ, is of the mode of goodness.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

Oh son of Prithâ, that conviction which, constant in the practice of yoga, has the activity of the mind, the breath and the senses under control, is a resolve that is of goodness. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 34

But the attitude, oh Arjuna, by which one holds on to one's righteous duty, enjoyment and material progress out of attachment in desiring the fruits; that determination, oh son of Prithâ is in the mode of passion.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

But that conviction, Arjuna, by which one, holding on to one's religiousness, sensuality and material business37, insists on one's advantage, is a determination, oh son of Prithâ, in the mode of passion. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 35

That will by which one never gives up the sleeping, fearing, lamenting, drooping and surely also the presuming, is of an unintelligent attitude in the mode of ignorance, oh son of Prithâ.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

That determination in which one unintelligently never gives up the sleeping, fearing, lamenting, drooping as also the presuming, is of the mode of ignorance, oh son of Prithâ. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 36

But hear from Me now about three kinds of happiness one enjoys by fortitude, o best amongst the Bhâratas and of which one reaches the end of sorrow.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

But now hear from me about the three kinds of happiness that one enjoys in fortitude, o best of the Kuru descendants, and from which being steadfast the end of one's sorrow is found. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 37

That happiness which is in the beginning like poison but in the end compares with nectar, is in the mode of goodness said to be born in the soul from the grace of intelligence.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

That happiness which in the beginning is like poison but in the end compares to nectar, is, having sprouted in the soul by the grace of intelligence, of the mode of goodness so one says. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 38

That happiness which results from the contact of the senses with the sense objects and which in the beginning is just like nectar but in the end is like poison; that happiness is considered to be in the mode of passion.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

That happiness which results from the contact one has by the senses with the sense objects, and which in the beginning is just like nectar but in the end is like poison, is a form of happiness known to belong to the mode of passion. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 39

That which from the beginning to the end is happiness produced by self-deception, sloth, laziness and misunderstanding, that is said to be of ignorance.

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

That happiness which from the beginning to the end is founded on self-deception, sloth, laziness and misunderstanding, is said to be of ignorance. (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

Text 40

There is no being in existence either on earth or in the higher spheres among the divine, that is free from the influence of these three modes of material nature.'

FILOGNOSTIC TRANSLATION

Nor on earth, nor among the gods in the higher spheres, there is anyone who is free from the influence of these three qualities inherent to material nature.' (Sanskrit & tradition)

 

 

 

 

 

Versions consulted:

- A Song of Fortune One - A modern Gîtâ - the modern version of filognosy (also in mp3-audio).

- A Song of Fortune - A Classical Gîtâ - the classical version of filognosy.

- The Bhagavad Gîta-as-it-is by Swami Bhaktivedânta Prabhupâda (PDF-download).

- The Bhagavad Gîtâ-as-it-is: online (version 1.0).

- The Bhagavad Gita As It Is By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (pdf-download).

- The Bhagavad Gita by the Bhagavad Gita Trust.

- Bhagavad Gita by Sanderson Beck.

- Bhagavad Gita by Ramanad Prasad (American Gita society).

- Srimad Bhagavad-gita - The Hidden Treasure of the Sweet Absolute (from the Vaishnav' S'rî Caitanya Saraswath math).

Sanskrit dictionary: (Monier-Williams' 'Sanskrit-English Dictionary').

 

 

 

 

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The filognostic translations are of the same author.                   
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