Surrender

Abandoning all duties, come to me alone for refuge. I shall free you from all sins; do not grieve.

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज | अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः ||१८-६६||

Fix your mind on me, be devoted to me, sacrifice to me, bow down to me. Thus you will come to me — truly I promise you, for you are dear to me.

मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु | मामेवैष्यसि सत्यं ते प्रतिजाने प्रियोऽसि मे ||१८-६५||

He who creates Brahmā in the beginning and who sends forth the Vedas to him — to that God, who reveals himself in the light of the intellect of the Self, I, seeking liberation, go for refuge.

यो ब्रह्माणं विदधाति पूर्वं यो वै वेदांश्च प्रहिणोति तस्मै । तं ह देवं आत्मबुद्धिप्रकाशं मुमुक्षुर्वै शरणमहं प्रपद्ये ॥ १८॥

Go to him alone for refuge with your whole being, Bharata. By his grace you will attain supreme peace and the eternal abode.

तमेव शरणं गच्छ सर्वभावेन भारत | तत्प्रसादात्परां शान्तिं स्थानं प्राप्स्यसि शाश्वतम् ||१८-६२||

With your mind fixed on me, you will pass over all difficulties by my grace; but if from egotism you will not listen, you will perish.

मच्चित्तः सर्वदुर्गाणि मत्प्रसादात्तरिष्यसि | अथ चेत्त्वमहंकारान्न श्रोष्यसि विनङ्क्ष्यसि ||१८-५८||

Mentally surrendering all actions to me, holding me as the highest, resorting to the yoga of intellect, keep your mind constantly fixed on me.

चेतसा सर्वकर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्परः | बुद्धियोगमुपाश्रित्य मच्चित्तः सततं भव ||१८-५७||

Though always performing all actions, taking refuge in me, he attains by my grace the eternal, imperishable state.

सर्वकर्माण्यपि सदा कुर्वाणो मद्व्यपाश्रयः | मत्प्रसादादवाप्नोति शाश्वतं पदमव्ययम् ||१८-५६||

Fix your mind on me, be devoted to me, sacrifice to me, bow down to me. Disciplining yourself in this way, wholly devoted to me, you will come to me.

मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु | मामेवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवमात्मानं मत्परायणः ||९-३४||

At the end of many births, the one who has knowledge takes refuge in me, realizing that Vasudeva is all. Such a great soul is very rare.

बहूनां जन्मनामन्ते ज्ञानवान्मां प्रपद्यते | वासुदेवः सर्वमिति स महात्मा सुदुर्लभः ||७-१९||

Surrendering all actions to Me, with your mind fixed on the Self, free from desire and from any sense of "mine," and rid of your fever, fight.

मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा | निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः ||३-३०||

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||

But for those who worship me, thinking of nothing else, ever devoted — for those who are constantly steadfast, I secure what they lack and preserve what they have.

अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते | तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् ||९-२२||

Therefore, at all times remember me, and fight. With your mind and intellect fixed on me, you will surely come to me alone.

तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च | मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्मामेवैष्यस्यसंशयः (orसंशयम्) ||८-७||

Those who strive for freedom from old age and death, taking refuge in me, come to know that Brahman in full, the whole of the self, and action in its entirety.

जरामरणमोक्षाय मामाश्रित्य यतन्ति ये | ते ब्रह्म तद्विदुः कृत्स्नमध्यात्मं कर्म चाखिलम् ||७-२९||

For this divine māyā of mine, made of the guṇas, is hard to overcome. But those who take refuge in me alone cross beyond this māyā.

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी मम माया दुरत्यया | मामेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते ||७-१४||

Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus to Krishna, Arjuna, scorcher of foes, said to Govinda, I will not fight, and fell silent.

सञ्जय उवाच | एवमुक्त्वा हृषीकेशं गुडाकेशः परन्तप | न योत्स्य इति गोविन्दमुक्त्वा तूष्णीं बभूव ह ||२-९||

But those who, renouncing all actions in me and holding me as supreme, worship me, meditating on me with undivided yoga —

ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्परः | अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते ||१२-६||

Sanjaya said: Hearing these words of Keshava, the crowned one, trembling, with joined palms, bowed down; and again, prostrating in great fear, he spoke to Krishna in a faltering voice:

सञ्जय उवाच | एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं केशवस्य कृताञ्जलिर्वेपमानः किरीटी | नमस्कृत्वा भूय एवाह कृष्णं सगद्गदं भीतभीतः प्रणम्य ||११-३५||

Then that state is to be sought, reaching which one does not return again, resolving: 'I take refuge in that primal Person from whom the ancient activity has streamed forth.'

ततः पदं तत्परिमार्गितव्यं यस्मिन्गता न निवर्तन्ति भूयः | तमेव चाद्यं पुरुषं प्रपद्ये | यतः प्रवृत्तिः प्रसृता पुराणी ||१५-४||

Therefore, bowing down and prostrating my body, I beg your grace, adorable Lord. As a father bears with a son, a friend with a friend, a lover with a beloved, so should you bear with me, O God.

तस्मात्प्रणम्य प्रणिधाय कायं प्रसादये त्वामहमीशमीड्यम् | पितेव पुत्रस्य सखेव सख्युः प्रियः प्रियायार्हसि देव सोढुम् ||११-४४||