Guidance

With these seemingly contradictory words you appear to confuse my understanding. Tell me decisively the one path by which I may attain the highest good.

व्यामिश्रेणेव वाक्येन बुद्धिं मोहयसीव मे | तदेकं वद निश्चित्य येन श्रेयोऽहमाप्नुयाम् ||३-२||

Hear again my supreme word, the most secret of all. Because you are dearly beloved to me, I shall tell you what is good for you.

सर्वगुह्यतमं भूयः शृणु मे परमं वचः | इष्टोऽसि मे दृढमिति ततो वक्ष्यामि ते हितम् ||१८-६४||

My very being is stricken with the weakness of pity, and my mind is confused about my duty. I ask you: tell me clearly what is better. I am your pupil; instruct me, for I have taken refuge in you.

कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसम्मूढचेताः | यच्छ्रेयः स्यान्निश्चितं ब्रूहि तन्मे शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम् ||२-७||

You alone can dispel this doubt of mine completely, Krishna, for there is no one but you who can remove this doubt.

एतन्मे संशयं कृष्ण छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः | त्वदन्यः संशयस्यास्य छेत्ता न ह्युपपद्यते ||६-३९||

Those deluded by the gunas of nature become attached to the actions of the gunas. The one who knows the whole should not unsettle the dull-witted who do not know the whole.

प्रकृतेर्गुणसम्मूढाः सज्जन्ते गुणकर्मसु | तानकृत्स्नविदो मन्दान्कृत्स्नविन्न विचालयेत् ||३-२९||

The wise person should not unsettle the minds of the ignorant who are attached to action; acting with discipline, he should encourage them to perform all their actions.

न बुद्धिभेदं जनयेदज्ञानां कर्मसङ्गिनाम् | जोषयेत्सर्वकर्माणि विद्वान्युक्तः समाचरन् ||३-२६||

To him despairing between the two armies, Krishna, as if smiling, O Bharata, spoke these words:

तमुवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव भारत | सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये विषीदन्तमिदं वचः ||२-१०||

Sanjaya said: Thus addressed by Arjuna, O Bharata, Krishna stationed that finest of chariots between the two armies,

सञ्जय उवाच | एवमुक्तो हृषीकेशो गुडाकेशेन भारत | सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये स्थापयित्वा रथोत्तमम् ||१-२४||

'Teach me, sir,' said Narada as he approached Sanatkumara. Sanatkumara said to him: 'Come to me with what you already know, and from there I will lead you further.' Narada said:

अधीहि भगव इति होपससाद सनत्कुमारं नारदस्तꣳ होवाच यद्वेत्थ तेन मोपसीद ततस्त ऊर्ध्वं वक्ष्यामीति स होवाच

then, however those Brahmins there—thoughtful, competent, gentle, devoted to dharma—would behave in that case, so should you behave. And with regard to those who are accused of some fault: however those Brahmins there—thoughtful, competent, gentle, devoted to dharma—would behave toward them, so should you behave toward them. This is the teaching. This is the counsel. This is the secret doctrine of the Veda. This is the instruction. Thus should one worship; thus indeed should this be worshiped.'

ये तत्र ब्राह्मणाः संमर्शिनः । युक्ता आयुक्ताः ।अलूक्षा धर्मकामाः स्युः । यथा ते तत्र वर्तेरन् ।तथा तत्र वर्तेथाः । अथाभ्याख्यातेषु ।ये तत्र ब्राह्मणाः संमर्शिनः । युक्ता आयुक्ताः ।अलूक्षा धर्मकामाः स्युः । यथा ते तेषु वर्तेरन् ।तथा तेषु वर्तेथाः । एष आदेशः । एष उपदेशः ।एषा वेदोपनिषत् । एतदनुशासनम् । एवमुपासितव्यम् ।एवमु चैतदुपास्यम् ॥ ४॥

Once again, mighty-armed one, hear my supreme word, which I will speak to you, who delight in it, out of a wish for your welfare.

श्रीभगवानुवाच | भूय एव महाबाहो शृणु मे परमं वचः | यत्तेऽहं प्रीयमाणाय वक्ष्यामि हितकाम्यया ||१०-१||

These vital powers went to their father Prajapati and said: "Sir, which of us is the best?" He said to them: "That one on whose departure the body seems to be in the worst state—he is the best among you."

ते ह प्राणाः प्रजापतिं पितरमेत्योचुर्भगवन्को नः श्रेष्ठ इति तान्होवाच यस्मिन्व उत्क्रान्ते शरीरं पापिष्ठतरमिव दृश्येत स वः श्रेष्ठ इति

O Agni, lead us by the good path to prosperity, O god who knows all our deeds. Keep from us the crooked sin, and we will offer you the fullest words of homage.

अग्ने नय सुपथा राये अस्मान् विश्वानि देव वयुनानि विद्वान् । युयोध्यस्मज्जुहुराणमेनो भूयिष्ठां ते नमौक्तिं विधेम

O beloved! Every single day, with heartfelt devotion, one should bow reverently in the direction where the holy feet of the blessed Guru reside.

श्रीनाथचरणद्वन्द्वं यस्यां दिशि विराजते । तस्यै दिशे नमस्कुर्याद् भक्त्या प्रतिदिनं प्रिये

'and then someone might remove the blindfold and tell him: "Gandhara lies in that direction; go that way" — and, asking his way from village to village, being informed and wise, he would reach Gandhara. In the same way, a person here who has a teacher knows: "I shall remain here only so long as I am not liberated; then I shall reach my goal."'

तस्य यथाभिनहनं प्रमुच्य प्रब्रूयादेतां दिशं गन्धारा एतां दिशं व्रजेति स ग्रामाद्ग्रामं पृच्छन्पण्डितो मेधावी गन्धारानेवोपसम्पद्येतैवमेवेहाचार्यवान्पुरुषो वेद तस्य तावदेव चिरं यावन्न विमोक्ष्येऽथ सम्पत्स्य इति

'Just as, my dear, a man might be led away from the Gandhara country with his eyes bound, and then set loose in an uninhabited place, and there he might drift about toward the east, the north, the south, or the west, since he had been brought there blindfolded and released blindfolded —'

यथा सोम्य पुरुषं गन्धारेभ्योऽभिनद्धाक्षमानीय तं ततोऽतिजने विसृजेत्स यथा तत्र प्राङ्वोदङ्वाधराङ्वा प्रत्यङ्वा प्रध्मायीताभिनद्धाक्ष आनीतोऽभिनद्धाक्षो विसृष्टः

But he reflected: "These great householders, great in sacred learning, will question me, and I may not be able to give them everything. So let me direct them to another."

स ह सम्पादयांचकार प्रक्ष्यन्ति मामिमे महाशाला महाश्रोत्रियास्तेभ्यो न सर्वमिव प्रतिपत्स्ये हन्ताहमन्यमभ्यनुशासानीति