A Song of Fortune
- A Classical Gîtâ -




     

CHAPTER 2b

     

A grip on the matter

 
   
(39) 'Thus far about being intelligent in analyzing matters, now listen how in association with this intelligence, oh son of Prithâ, you may be freed from being bound to your karma. (40) In this spirit then, you won't corrupt, nor be lost, and just serving this a little you'll avert the greatest danger. (41) Because of being mindful about the soul one is unified in intelligence, oh child of the Kurus, but if one, on the other hand, is not of such a conscience, one has a mind that is constantly diverted. (42) People faithful to the Vedas also say things like this oh son of Prithâ, but they are quite ignorant in thinking that there's nothing else to it. (43) With their shiny ceremonies they hope to go to heaven and have a better life, but their hearts are full of desire to please their senses and to be rich. (44) That way all too attached to material pleasures and luxuries, their minds are fuzzy of a poor logic and they never get a real grip on matters. (45) The Vedic literature dealing with the material affair and the way we're affected by its threefold nature in the sense of 1 - having passions, 2 - being dull-witted and 3 - lusting in goodness, tells us to transcend these modes of nature, because outside of the opposites they form, absorbed in what is really good and pure, the soul is found that is unconcerned about possessing and acquiring possessions. (46) In a sip of water one finds the same as in a lake, similarly in the soul of a single man of spiritual virtue the entirety of classical wisdom is found.

(47)
It is your perfect right to serve the cause, but you must never claim the results of that service for yourself. Do not consider yourself the cause; so never develop any attachment in holy matters like these. (48) Keep in touch, stay connected, in forsaking such conceit and desire, oh winner of the wealth, and be equal-minded in the face of success and failure, for that equanimity is the secret of staying united in consciousness. (49) Thus being united in full surrender to the intelligence, don't give in to the feeblemindedness; know that it are the miserly ones who want to win and acquire. (50) Aligned with this intelligence you can, in this life, escape from the consequences of which you unjustly thought they were good, as also the ones you had to suffer. So, for the sake of this science, engage undaunted in your being connected with the soul that endures and is happy in the wisdom. That's the art of the matter with all you do! (51) To be immersed in serving this purpose, to be in line with the intelligence of not desiring any advantage, that is what freed the wise as also the devoted from the misery of repeated failure and the need to start all over time and again. (52) Once you, free from any desire, respect it the way it is with the soul, you will, at that time, no longer worry about all this you now heard about nor about that what you'll be hearing more. (53) With a mind clear about the advantage of your actions the way I disclosed it to you, you will, unmoved risen above matters with a fixed intelligence, be able to find the happy life you wish yourself and others.'

(54)
Arjuna said: 'What characterizes the one who is on top of matters, who is fixed in a consciousness of being connected? And what kind of things does such a person all say, how does he keep his distance and what are his moves?'

(55)
Krishna, as the master, said: 'The moment one forsakes the desires and the worries belonging to them, oh son of Prithâ, one will, to the good of that mindfulness, become steady in one's consciousness, so confirm also other authorities. (56) They who free from worries face miseries, free from desire face happiness and, not being of any attachment, are free from fear and anger, are considered sages steady in their meditation. (57) He who, whether things turn out good or bad in this, stays unaffected in whatever situation and hates nor praises, is fixed in knowing it perfectly. (58) Like a tortoise withdrawing its legs and head, he who fixes himself in consciousness withdraws his senses from the sense objects. (59) Anyone not of this mindfulness, may refrain just the same, but such a one then keeps the material taste, the taste that only ends with the stronger experience of the higher taste one has when one is of transcendence. (60) Irrespective one's intelligence, when one endeavors, the senses draw the attention away and the mind is stirred. (61) To keep the busy senses under control is something achieved by positively relating to the position of meditation one has in the beyond, and thus having mastered them, one is established in wisdom. (62) The wrong way it works like this: first you get attached to what the senses perceive, from that the lust develops to enjoy it whenever you want and what follows is the anger upon the inevitable frustration of realizing that that is not possible. (63) From that anger of one's predilection one no longer sees things in proportion, and thus one is, with that being illusioned, not mindful of what should be remembered. Consequently the intelligence fails, and from no longer understanding matters one loses control: one falls down. (64) But not being of any aversion or attachment one is, having the busy senses under control, thus being regulated, of a clear mind. (65) In that peace all miseries find their end, and with such an open mind soon the intuition is sufficiently established. (66) Not being aligned this way the intelligence has no chance and there is, missing the connectedness in the soul, no steadiness of one's respect; how can one, discontented not being of any peace, find happiness then? (67) The mind in following the senses is of an intelligence as fickle as a boat drifting away on the wind. (68) And so, as you'll understand, the intelligence is steady when the senses are drawn away from their objects. (69) What the common people attend to is as night for the man of wisdom, and to what to the common man is as dark as the night the wise are wakeful. (70) Contrary to a man of desire, a man of peace is just as steady with what is perceived by his senses as the ocean that is never filled by all the water of the rivers ending in it. (71) A person attains peace when he - free from longing - has forsaken his desires, when he's not striving for possessions, and, instead of identifying himself with the body, identifies himself with the soul. (72) Therefore, don't be afraid that this position in the beyond will bewilder you oh son of Prithâ, you rather attain heaven with it, even if you deferred this mindfulness until the moment you die.'
 






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