You might be knowing these five causes; for the scriptures have described them with upraised arms. They are proclaimed loudly through the beating of drums in the palace of the Sankhya system in the capital town of the Vedas. These causes are absolutely necessary for the successful completion of any action, but don't you in any way connect them with the unchangeable Self (276-280). These five causes have become well-known in this world, as they have been proclaimed by the beating of a drum. It is, therefore, meet that they should fall on your ears as they will benefit you. As you have the philosopher's stone as myself, why should I put you to the trouble of finding someone else to talk about it? If a person has the mirror in front of him, why should he ask others to tell him how he looks? Wherever a devotee looks with a purpose in view, it becomes as he desires. So I have become a play-thing in your hands. When the Lord was saying this in the flush of affection, he lost consciousness. As for Arjuna, he became immersed in bliss (281-285). Even if there is a mountain of moon-stones, it oozes to form a lake in bright moonshine; in the same way Arjuna had become bliss incarnate by the removal of the screen between the bliss and realisation. But the Lord, being strong, regained his senses and lifted up Arjuna from the ocean of bliss. The ocean of bliss had such a high tidal flow that Arjuna, the great warrior, with his high talent, was about to be drowned in it. The Lord checked the flow and said, "O Partha, do not lose sight of yourself and come to your senses.

At this, Arjuna heaved a sigh and nodded his head (286-290). He said, "O Lord, although I am so close to you. yet I am separate from you. I get tired of this and wish to attain unison with you. Since you are so affectionately fulfilling my desires, then why do you place me in a predicament by reminding me of my separate state?" Then the Lord said, "O you silly fellow, you have not yet come to know properly what '. I have told you. Are the moon and its splendour ever separate from each other? I am afraid to tell you what is in my mind. If one, becomes displeased with one's beloved their bond of love becomes stronger – this is love. So long as this love between us remains intact, our separateness bound to remain. But let us not discuss it further (291-295). Arjuna, we were just now talking of actions being distinct from the Self'. On this Arjuna said,, "O Lord, you have read my mind correctly and broached the topic. You had promised to tell me the five causes responsible " ' for action. The relationship between the Self and action is my favourite topic; so please explain it me".

Hearing his words, Lord Krishna said with great pleasure, 'Where else can I find a hearer, who is so persistent in asking questions (296-300)? " I shall, therefore, tell you what I had intended, but this would mean that I shall place you under an additional debt of affection." Then Arjuna replied, 'O Lord, have you completely forgotten what you said before? You said that in order to preserve this affection you are maintaining the distinction between you and me." Then Lord Krishna said: Be it so, now hear attentively what I am going to say. O Arjuna, it is true that all actions originate from Five causes without the intervention of knowledge of the Self. These five causes combine to give shape to the action. The same causes also provide the reasons for the action. (301-305) But there the Self remains neutral and is neither the material nor the instrumental cause of action and does not help in the successful implementation of action. Just as the sky is unattached to either night or day, so the good or bad deeds happen to the unattached Self. When water, heat and vapour combine. they produce the clouds; yet the sky knows nothing about it. The boat is fashioned out of wooden planks and the boatman steers it on the water, which is only a witness there. When a lump of clay is placed on the wheel and the wheel is turned round and round with a stick, it becomes a pot (306-310). Here it is the potter's skill which causes it, and the earth does nothing except giving support to the wheel. Just consider all this. All the activities of the world are carried on in the light of the sun, but is the sun concerned with any of them? So all these Five causes come together to grow the creeper in the form of actions; but the Self remains aloof from them. I shall now describe these Five causes, each one separately, in the same way as pearls should be picked up and weighed separately.

14.  The seat of action (body) as also the agent, various instruments (sense-organs and the mind), their manifold distinct functions and the fifth, their presiding deities.

I say that the body is the first cause of action. (311-315) It is called a seat because the experiencer resides here along with the objects of experience. All the ten sense-organs toil day and night and by reason of the prakriti present pleasure and pain for the experience of the purusha; there is no other place except the body where he can experience them. Therefore, the body is called the seat of experience. This is the home of the twenty-four elements. and the tangle of bondage and release is unravelled here. The body gives support to the three states of waking, dream and deep sleep, and so it has received the name of a body (316-320).

In the same way, the agent is the second cause of action. He is the reflection of the Self. When rain falls on the earth, it forms a puddle and when the sky is reflected in it, it assumes the form of the puddle. When the prince forgets himself in sleep and mistakenly dreams that he has become a pauper, so the Self forgets his essential nature and identifies himself with the body. The Self who has forgotten his own nature is well-known as Java, the embodied Self. The latter has entered into a compact that he will ever associate himself with the body in all matters (321-325). Through delusion, he thinks that he has performed the actions which in reality are carried out by the body. It is for this reason that the embodied Self is called the agent.

Now even though the sight is the same, it appears split like a fly-whisker on account of " the eye-lashes. The lamp inside the house is one, but it appears more than one when seen through the interstices of a ' lattice. The same ' actor appears to be. different, when he acts the nine different sentiments. In the same way, though the intellect is one, yet it displays itself in different forms through the different senses (326-330). The different organs of the body, therefore, constitute the third cause of action. Water flows separately towards the East and the West. and even though it is one and the same. it appears as big or small rivers. In the same way the motive power of the wind is constant, but it appears different in different regions of the body. When it operates through the faculty of speech, we call it 'talking'. When it operates through the hands, we say that it functions as 'give and take'. When it operates through the feet, it is known as 'motion' and when it operates through the lower outlets, it throws out urine and excreta (331-335). When it operates between the regions of the navel to the heart and displays the word Om, it is known as prana. When it moves upwards, it takes the name of udana. When it goes, out. through the lower outlet (anus), it is known as apana and when it pervades the entire body, it is called vyana. When it distributes the juice of the digested food in all parts of the body and pervades all the joints of the body, it is known as samana (336-340). Yawning, sneezing, belching etc. which are minor functions of this wand, are known as naga, kurma, krukar etc. In this way, O great warrior, although the motive power of the wind is the same, it takes different names according to its functions. Know that this power of the wind which operates in different forms is the fourth cause of action.

Then imagine that we have the best season in autumn, the rising of the moon in the night of the full moon, or an excellent park in the spring, the company of the beloved and all the requisite things of enjoyment (341-345), or that there should be a lotus in full bloom filled with pollens or that there should be poetical power in one's speech, -with artistic charm added to it and that charm should be touched by the highest Truth, so there should be excellence, accompanied with all splendid mental states, The senses should have developed well as a result of that intelligence and the assemblage of deities which gives support to the senses should be favourable. This assemblage of favourable deities consisting of the sun etc. (346-350), is the fifth cause of- the action. The Lord added, "I have thus narrated to you the Five causes of action in such a way that you will be able to grasp them. Now I shall elucidate to you the Five reasons (instrumental causes) by which these causes expand and give rise to a chain of actions."

15.  Whatever action a man performs with his body, speech and mind, whether right or wrong, these are its (instrumental) causes.

Now the sudden advent of spring is the cause of the fresh foliage of trees, which results in flowers and fruits. The monsoon brings clouds, the clouds bring rain and the rain produces an abundant crop of grain (351-355). The East brings the dawn, the sun brings the light, and when the sun shines, there is the day-time. So, O Arjuna, the mind is the instrumental cause of decision of action. This decision Ands expression in speech, and then in the light of that speech, the way of action becomes clear and the agent undertakes that action. Thus, the body and other organs become the instrumental causes of such body and organs through actions. Just as an article of iron is hammered out by an iron-hammer, or cloth is fashioned by weaving yarn in warp and woof (356- 360), or a diamond is shaped by cutting it with a diamond, so the actions of mind, speech and body become the instrumental causes of mind, speech and body.

Now if the body etc. are the material causes of action, a doubt may arise how they can also become the instrumental causes of the body etc. Just as the sun is the cause, both material and instrumental, of light, or the joints of sugarcane promote the growth of the sugar-cane, or the faculty of the speech has to be employed to sing the praise of the goddess of speech, or the Vedas have to express the majesty of the Vedas, so everyone knows that the body, speech and mind become the cause of action; but there is no doubt that the same actions become the instrumental cause of the body, speech and mind (361-365). In this way, if the five causes of body etc. are supported by the external causes, then they both together produce actions.

If actions are performed according to scriptural injunctions, they become righteous actions and promote righteous conduct. The rain fallen in the paddy field gets absorbed there and helps the growth of paddy.. If a person leaves his home in anger and takes the road to Dwaraka, he may feel fatigued by walking, but the steps he has taken do not become fruitless. Thus whatever action is undertaken through the combination of both causes is simply blind action. But it becomes righteous if it is performed diligently according to the injunctions of the scriptures (366-370). If milk, while being poured into a glass spills outside, it is spent, but one cannot say that 1t is properly spent. If action performed contrary to the scriptures does not bear fruit, why should we not regard stolen riches as given in charity? O Arjuna, is there any incantation which does not contain the letters of the alphabet? And is there anyone who does not utter these letters? But as long as one does not understand the secret of incantation, he will not secure its fruit by uttering all the fifty-two letters of the alphabet. In that way if an action is performed through. the combination of causes wantonly but not as prescribed by the scriptures, then it is as good as not done (371-375). Such an action is unrighteous and becomes an immoral action.

16.  That being so, he who sees the absolute Self as the agent through the lack of knowledge - such a perverse person sees not (truly).

In this way, O celebrated Arjuna. there are five instrumental causes for the action resulting from Five causes. When the Self becomes associated with them, he becomes involved in that action. Just as the sun without taking any form reveals the forms, so the Self also reveals the action without taking its form. O great warrior, just as without becoming either the mirror or the reflection, one sees both by looking into the mirror, or the sun makes day and night without being either, so the Self reveals action without being its agent (376-380). But when a person who is deluded by the egoistic feeling identifies himself with the body and becomes attached to it, he remains in total darkness as of midnight in regard to the Self. He who does not recognise that Self, God and the Supreme Self exist beyond the body is firmly convinced that the Self is the doer of action; nay, he thinks that he as body is the agent of actions. He has never even heard that he is the Self who is beyond the actions and only their witness. What is strange, therefore, is that he regards the limitless Self as limited by his body. Does not the owl close his eyes during the day and make it night (381-385)? If a person has not seen the real sun, will-he not consider its reflection in water as the - sun? He then believes that the sun exists when there is water in the puddle the sun ceases to exist when the puddle is dried up and that the sun has tremor when the water in the puddle, is stirred by the wind. So long as the person who is asleep does not wake up, he is bound to feel as real what he sees in his dream. Is there any wonder that a person who has no knowledge of a rope mistakes it for a serpent and becomes frightened? The moon will appear yellow to a jaundiced eye, and who else but a deer is deceived by the mirage? He who keeps away from the scriptures and the Guru (literally, does not allow even the breeze of the mention of their name to touch his body), he lives in a fool's paradise (386-390). Just as the jackals impute the motion of the clouds to the moon and charge the moon with the motion, a person keeps the Self confined in the net of the body in the mistaken belief that the body is the Self. Under this false impression, he shuts himself up in the prison of the body with the strong bonds of actions. When a parrot sitting on a tube holds it fast under the mistaken impression that he is tied to it, so he who ascribes the actions of the prakriti to the pure Self, goes on counting his actions through many epochs.

Now I shall tell you how one can recognise a person who remains untainted by actions even while performing them, like the sub-marine Are which remains untouched by the sea even while dwelling in it (391-395). If we continue to meditate over an emancipated person, we attain liberation. Just as one sees a missing thing in the lamp-light, or one sees one's reflection in a clean mirror or the salt is dissolved when put in water, or why say more, as a reflection turns back to see the reflecting body merged in that body, in the same way by thinking of saints, one discovers one's Self. One should, therefore, describe and hear the merits of saints (396-400). The faculty of vision is not obstructed by the outer skin; in the same way. even when one is immersed in activity, one does not become tainted by its good or bad fruits. I shall now tell you by giving you good reasons the signs of a person who has gone beyond actions.

17.  He who has no egoistic feeling, whose understanding is not polluted, even if he were to slay these people, he slays not, nor is he bound (by his action).

O wise Arjuna, he who was experiencing for long the worldly happenings in a dream of ignorance heard the great proposition (mahavakya) "tat tvam asi, you ore that." He was awakened from his dream of the world and deep slumber of ignorance into a blissful state by the grace of the Guru, who woke him up by placing his hand over his head and patting it (401-405). Just as with the moonbeams the mirage disappears or With the departure of childhood the goblin does not remain an object of fear, or when the firewood is burnt it cannot be used as firewood, or a dream disappears as soon as one wakes up, so his mind does not entertain the notions of 'I' and 'Mine'. If the sun enters a cave in search of darkness, he can never see it there, so he who has realised the Self sees no distinction between the object seen and the seer (406-410). Just as a thing which catches fire becomes fire, obliterating any distinction between one who burns and one who is burnt, so when the notion of the action as separate from the Self and of the attribution of its agency to the Self disappears, then what remains is the pristine state of the Self. Will the Lord of this state ever think that he is the body? Will the flood of deluge identify itself with a brook? In the same way, how can one who has realised the Self identify himself with the body? Can the disc of the sun contain its light? Can the butter churned out of curds and separated from it -again merge into the butter-milk (411-415)? Can the latent Are once released from the fire-wood re-enter it and remain latent in it again? How can the sun who has come out of the womb of night ever cognize the night? In the same way, how can a person, in whom the knowable object and the knower have become one, entertain the egoistic feeling that he is the body? As the sky pervades wherever one goes, the Self also pervades all. So whatever work one does is his own Self. In what way then can he think himself to be the agent of any action (416-420)?

Just as there is no space apart from the sky, or the sea has no flow apart from it or the Pole star has no moon, similar is the state of the person (who has realised the Self). In the same way, a person, who has got rid of his egoistic feeling that he is the doer continues to work so long as he is in the body. Even though the wind has ceased to flow, the (foliage of) tree continues to flutter for some time. Even though the camphor has completely evaporated, its fragrance remains in its casket for some time. Even though the musical concert has come to an end, the thrill it has caused in the hearers does not abate all at once. The land retains moisture for some time even after the water has flowed away. Even after the sun has set. its light remains - for- some time in the form of twilight (421-425). The arrow moves forward with its momentum even after hitting the target. Even though the potter has removed the pot from the wheel, the wheel keeps on rotating until its speed is spent up. In the same way, even after the egoistic feeling has disappeared, the prakriti which has created the body makes it perform actions. Just as a dream appears in sleep without any prior thought, or trees grow in forest even without being planted or imaginary cities are formed in the sky without any construction, so without the Self doing anything, actions continue to be performed because of the five causes consisting of the body etc. (426-430).

These Five causes, both material and instrumental, combine together to cause the actions to be performed by reason of the latent impressions of the past actions in previous births. These actions may lead to the destruction of the world or give rise to new worlds. Just as the sun is not aware. that because of him the night-lily withers and the day-lily blooms when it rises, or the sky does not know that the earth is blown to pieces by lightning or that it has grown green because of the showers of rain, so he remains in the body without body-consciousness (431-435). Just as a person who has woken up from sleep does not see dreams, so he is not aware of the worldly events which take place because of his body etc. But those who view him merely through their physical eyes regard him as the doer of these actions. Does not the jackal think that the scarecrow of grass erected on the border of the farm is the watchman of the farm? Only others know whether a lunatic wanders about dressed or in a naked condition. Other persons may count the wounds sustained by a warrior who has died on the battle-field. The whole world sees with reverence the self-immolation of a sati (on the pyre of her deceased husband}; while she herself is unconscious of the Are, her own person and the spectators (436-440). In the same way, he who is awakened to his real Self, and whose notion of being a seer has vanished along with the object to be seen, does not know what his senses are doing. If persons standing on the shore of the sea see a big wave swallowing a small one, yet from the standpoint of water, who has swallowed what? In the same way, a person who has attained perfection does not see anyone distinct from him, whom he can kill. Even if a devotee sees the gold idol of the goddess Durga killing the gold idol of a buffalo-demon with a three-pointed gold spear, in reality the idols and the spear are only pure gold (441-445). Again in a painting, the Are and water appear as if they are real, but there is neither real fire nor moisture. In the same way in the case of a person who is liberated while alive, the movements of his body take place according to the latent impression of his past life. But not knowing this; ignorant persons call him the doer. But then if his natural actions lead to the destruction of the world, one should never say that he has caused it. Can the sun say that it will dispel the darkness after seeing it? So in the case of an enlightened person who has no sense of duality, there remains nothing different from him which he can destroy.

Just as a stream which joins the river Ganga does not remain impure, so his inflect is not polluted by merit and demerit (446-450). If Are, O Arjuna, catches fire, will it get burnt or will a weapon pierce itself? So he who does not consider his action different from himself, how can he be polluted by it? Since he has become action, agent and the instrument, all these three himself, he is not bound by the actions performed by his body etc. Because it is only the embodied Self, who imagining himself to be the agent, works skilfully in the mine of the body etc. with the implements of the ten senses. He raises in a moment mansions of works after fixing the boundaries of justice and injustice (451-455). But the Self plays no role in this great work. And if you say that he starts the work, that too is not the case. The Self is a mere witness and his essential nature is knowledge itself. So how do you think that he gives his approval to the desire for activity? The activity which holds the people in its grip does not affect the Self. Therefore, he who had become one with the Self does not become a prisoner of actions. But the picture of false knowledge is painted on the canvas of ignorance as a result of the famous three-fold cause (456-460). For this triad of knower, knowledge and the object of knowledge is the seed of, and without doubt, the impulse to action. O winner of wealth, I shall now explain to you in clear terms the different forms of this triad.

18.  The impulse to action is threefold – knowledge, the object of knowledge and the knower, while the totality of action consists of the senses, the action and the agent.

As the sun sends out its rays and causes the lilies to bloom, so the embodied Self sends out its organs of knowledge to enjoy the sense-objects. Or as a king rides out on a horse without a saddle and brings in the loot by attacking other countries with weapons, so the endowed Self enjoys the sensuous pleasure and pain brought in by the senses. In short, he whose cognisance makes the embodied Self experience pleasure and pain through the senses and vanishes in deep sleep (461-465) is called the knower, while that which is said to be experienced is knowledge. O Arjuna, this knowledge, which is born of ignorance, divides itself into three kinds. The knowledge plants in its run-way a hurdle in the form of the knowable object and keeps the knower behind itself. Thus building a bridge of communication between the knower and the object of knowledge, it makes them carry on their activities. The knowledge comes to a halt as soon as it reaches the limit of the knowable object and gives different names to the different objects (466-470). This knowledge is undoubtedly the empirical knowledge. Now I shall tell you the characteristics of the knowable object. The knowable object becomes known in the five forms of sound, touch, form, taste and smell. Just as one mango is known to the senses by its taste, colour, smell and touch, so the knowable object, though one, is known to the senses in five forms. Just as the flow of a river stops when it meets the sea, or walking stops when the destination is reached, or the growth of a crop stops when it bears fruit (471-475), so, O Arjuna, where the knowledge running through the channels of senses stops, that, O Arjuna, is the object of knowledge.

Thus I have told you the characteristics of the knower, the knowledge and the object of knowledge. These become the cause of three-fold action. Even though the object of knowledge such as sound is of Five kinds, it is either agreeable or disagreeable. O winner of wealth, if the knower acquires even a little knowledge of the knowable object, the knower becomes inclined either to accept it or reject it. A heron watches to catch the fish after seeing it, or a poor man wishes to secure the treasure as soon as he sees it or a passionate person desires to win a woman whom he sees (476-480). Similarly water flows - to the low lying lands, or the bee is attracted to the flower by its fragrance or the calf runs to its mother as the time of milking approaches. After hearing the description of the nymph Urvashi, people put up ladders in the form of sacrifices to the heavens. O Arjuna, a blue pigeon soaring in the sky swoops down at the very sight of a she-pigeon or the peacock whirls in the sky on hearing peels of thunder. In the same way, the knower rushes to the objects of knowledge. Therefore, O Arjuna, all actions commence from knowledge, the knowable object and the knower (481-485). If this object of knowledge is by chance agreeable to the doer, he cannot brook even a moment's delay in its enjoyment. If, on the other hand, the same object is not to his liking, each moment of delay in abandoning it seems to him as long as an epoch. The same object creates joy or fear in one's heart according as it appears to him as a neckless or a serpent. Similar is the state of the knower when he sees an agreeable or disagreeable object and he starts action to secure it or to abandon it. A warrior, at the sight of an adversary worthy of him, becomes full of ardour and dismounts from the chariot to meet him in combat (486-490). In the same way the knower becomes the agent. Just as one used to eat a ready meal should have to start to cook, or the bee should have to begin to make a garden, or the touchstone should itself become the tester or the deity itself should have to build its own temple. so the knower, longing for the sense-object, makes his senses toil hard to get it and becomes the doer.

When the knower becomes the doer; then the knowledge becomes his instrument of action and the object of knowledge becomes naturally the action itself. O wise Arjuna, thus a change takes place in the original nature of the knower. Just as the sight becomes dim at night (491-495) or the luxuries of the rich diminish with bad luck or the moon goes on waning after the night of full moon, so when his senses become active he becomes wrapped up in the pride of a doer. I shall tell you now his characteristics. please listen. Intellect, the mind, the seat of memory and egoism are the four states of the internal organ, and skin, ears, eyes, the tongue and the nose are the Five external organs. With the aid of the internal organs, the agent makes an appraisal of what work he should undertake. If he thinks that a particular action will bring him happiness (496-500), then he makes all the ten sense-organs work hard until the action bears fruit. Or if on the other hand, he anticipates trouble from such action, he persuades his sense-organs to forsake it. Just as a king makes his servants toil hard to collect his dues, so he makes the sense-organs labour hard until the cause of misery is removed. Thus when the knower harnesses the sense-organs to perform or avoid some action, he is known as the agent. (501-505) Since this agent employs the sense-organs like the plough, give call them the instruments of action. When the agent undertakes some activity by making use of these instruments, that which is pervaded by this activity is the action. Just as the mind of,' the goldsmith is pervaded by the ornaments, or the moon-light is pervaded by the moonbeams, or the creeper is pervaded by its growth, or the sunlight is pervaded by its splendour, or the sugar-cane juice is pervaded by sweetness, or the sky is pervaded by space, so that which is pervaded by the activity of the agent is the action. There is no doubt about this. (506-510). Thus I have explained to you the characteristics of action, agent and the instrument. Here the knower, the knowledge and the object of knowledge constitute the threefold impulse to action; similarly the agent the instruments and the action are the three constituents of action. Just as smoke is latent in fire. the tree in seed, or passion in the mind, or gold in the gold mine, so the triad of doer, the deed and the instruments form the very essence of action. Therefore, when there arises the egoistic notion, 'this is the action, and I am its agent,' then the Self stands aloof from all such actions (511-515). Therefore, O talented Arjuna, do I need to tell you more that the Self is distinct from actions? You know it already.

19.  Knowledge, action and agent are threefold based on the distinction of quality. Hear also about these as stated in the doctrine of the gunas.

Now knowledge, action and agent, which I told you about, are of three kinds depending upon the three qualities. Do not place your faith in them, O Arjuna, because two of these qualities lead to bondage, while only the quality of sattva is conducive to liberation. As regards the quality of sattva which is described in detail in the Sankhya texts, I shall explain to you its distinctive features so that you will easily understand it. This Sankhya philosophy is the sea of right thoughts, the moon which makes the lotus plant in the form of Self-knowledge bloom, and the best among the metaphysical sciences in the view of those who have the vision of knowledge (516-520). It is verily the sun who distinguishes between the prakriti and: purusha; which are mixed like day - and night. In this science is measured the infinite mass of ignorance in terms of twenty-four principles which conduces to the uninterrupted enjoyment of higher Self. The characteristics of the different gunas extolled this Sankhya system, are as follows: These three gunas have, with their strength, brought all perceptible things under their sway and stamped them in three ways. These gunas, namely sattva. rajas and tamas are so grand that they have distinguished all beings from god Brahma to insects into three types (521-525). But I shall first explain to you how this entire universe has fallen into the clutches of these three gunas; for if the vision is clear, everything can be seen with clarity. So with the attainment of pure knowledge, it becomes easy to comprehend the essential nature of things. I shall, therefore. describe the sattvic knowledge, please give your attention, so said Lord Krishna, who is essentially of the nature of liberation.

20.  That by which one perceives in all beings a single immutable substance, indivisible though seemingly divided, know that knowledge arises from sattva.

O Arjuna, that is pure sattvic knowledge in which the knowable object I dissolved along with the knower. Just as the sun does not see darkness or the sea does not know the river or one cannot grasp ones shadow with one's hand (526-530), so this knowledge does not discern any distinction among beings from Lord Shiva to a blade of grass. Just as a picture on the wall is lost when it is smeared with cow-dung, or salt is dissolved when washed in water or the dream disappears after waking up, so when the knowable is seen in the light of knowledge, the distinction between the knower, the knowledge and the knowable vanishes. One does not test the gold in ornaments by melting them nor does anyone strain the waves to obtain water. In the same way, know that knowledge to be sattvic which does not concern itself with the world of appearance (531-535). Just as one sees one's reflection in the mirror, so one who has attained the sattvic knowledge perceives the knowable in the form of one's knowledge. This sattvic knowledge is verily the temple of the goddess Lakshmi in the form of liberation. Now I shall explain to you the characteristics of rajasic knowledge.

21.  But that knowledge by which one knows several manifold existences in all creatures as separate, know that the knowledge arises from rajas.

O Arjuna, listen carefully. That knowledge is rajasic, which sees distinctions in all beings. That knowledge has fragmented itself by the conception of diversity among beings and has bewildered the knower. Just as sleep places the veil of oblivion over the real state of things and makes one suffer troubles in a dream (536-540), so this knowledge spreads out Maya round the yard of Self- knowledge and makes the embodied Self go through the three states of wakefulness, dream and deep sleep. A child does not know the gold hidden in the ornaments, so this knowledge does not perceive unity behind the names and forms. An ignorant person cannot recognise the earth of which earthen pitchers or pots are made or know Are by seeing it in a lamp, state or yarn in the cloth shown to him or the canvas when he is shown a picture (painted on it), so his knowledge sees diversity in all beings, obscuring his notion of unity (541-545). Just as the fire appears, distinct because of the diversity of fire-wood, or as the fragrance smells different on account of the diversity of flowers or as the moon appears as divided because of its reflections in moving waters, so the knowledge which sees distinctions as big or small in diverse things is rajasic knowledge. If one wishes to avoid the house of a barbarian, one must know where it is So I shall now explain to you the Characteristics of tamasic knowledge, so that you will be able to avoid 1t.

22.  That which is confined to one object, as though it were all and is causeless and trifling and lacking in truth and meaning, that (knowledge) is said to arise from tamas.

That knowledge is tamasic which stripped of all clothes in the form of ordinances, roams about naked, and on which the Vedas have turned their back. Other shastras too, which follow the path of the Vedas. have banished it to the mountain in the form of non-Aryan religion after condemning it (546-550). O Arjuna, as that knowledge is seized by the demoness of tamas, it roams about like a mad person. That knowledge does not shrink from any kind of physical contact and does not consider any object as prohibited like a stray dog left in a deserted place which consumes everything. leaving only a thing which cannot be held in its mouth or which would burn its mouth. Just as a mouse does not know whether the gold stolen by it is pure or alloyed, or a meat-eater does not care whether the meat is red or white, or a forest conflagration does not discriminate between good or bad trees, or the housefly does not bother whether the body on which it lands is dead or alive (551-555), or the crow does not stop to think whether the food before it is served or vomited, or whether it is fresh or rotten. so this knowledge, infatuated with sensual pleasures, does not know how to perform actions which are prescribed and avoid actions which are prohibited. Whatever sense-object it sees, it takes it up for enjoyment and if it happens to be a woman or riches, it presents that object to the generative organ or the stomach. When it sees water, it does not stop to think whether it is pure or impure, but only sees whether it will quench his thirst and give it pleasure. It thinks that whatever is to its liking is pure, without any consideration as to whether it is edible or inedible, or whether it is reporchable or irreproachable (556-560). That knowledge understands that the woman is only a fit object of enjoyment for the sense of touch and it is ever yearning to form an intimacy with her. It recognises only those as relatives who serve its self-interest and not those who are the blood-relations. Just as death considers every living creature as its fare or the fire thinks everything as its fuel, so the tamasic knowledge thinks that the whole world is there for its benefit. So that knowledge regards the whole world as its object of enjoyment and thinks that the sole fruit of action is to feed the belly. Just as all the rain which drops from the sky goes to join the sea, so it regards that all activity is to All the belly (i.e. to support life) (561-565). This knowledge knows not about heaven and hell nor about activity and renunciation and is ignorant about what action it should undertake or avoid. This knowledge does not extend beyond the consideration that the Self is only the body and the God is the stone idol. According to this knowledge, the soul dies along with its actions at the fall of the body and there remains nothing to enjoy the fruit of the actions. Further if God exists as a witness to one's actions and dispenses their fruits in the form of pleasure and pain, then one should sell the God's image and use the proceeds for one's maintenance. If it is said that the village deities will punish us for our actions, then why are the mountains, from whose rocks they are made, left alone (566-570)?

If it admits the existence of God, it regards the stone idol as God and the body as the Self. According to that knowledge, all ideas about merit and demerit are false and one's good lies in indulging in sensuous pleasures and consuming all things like fire. It is convinced that whatever is perceptible to the physical eye or whatever is pleasing to the senses is alone real. In short, O. Partha, just as the masses of smoke go up in the sky, his thoughts, which grow on these lines, are of no avail. So this tamasic knowledge is worthless and infructuous like a flimsy tree which, whether dry or fresh, grows and breaks, (571-575) or like the ear of corn of a sugarcane, or like an impotent person, or the grove of silk-cotton trees, or the mind of an infant or like the stolen money or the neck-nipple of a she goat. Knowledge which is hollow and lack-lustre they call tamasic knowledge.

Now it is called knowledge for this reason: We say that one has broad eyes if one is born blind or that one has fine ears if one is deaf or that wine is a drink. In that way the term knowledge applied to tamasic knowledge is a misnomer (576-580). In short, we should not call it knowledge, but darkness (tamas). O best among the hearers, I have thus explained to you the three kinds of knowledge based on the gunas along with their characteristics. O archer, all actions are performed by the agent in the light of these three kinds of knowledge. Like water flowing in currents, the action is also distributed in three parts, and a single action becomes threefold because of the threefold knowledge, I shall tell you first the characteristics of sattvic action (581-585).

23.  If a prescribed duty is done without attachment, and without passion and hate, by one who does not seek its fruit is said to be of sattva quality.

Sattvic action devolves upon the doer according to his qualification, in the way a chaste wife hugs her husband of her own accord. This obligatory action, which is performed always, becomes an ornament to the doer, as sandal- paste does to a woman of light complexion or collyrium does to the eyes of a young woman. If it is combined with occasional duties, it is like adding fragrance to the ornament. Like a mother who never gets tired of bringing up her child at the cost of wealth, physical comfort and life, one performs actions, with heart and soul, without the desire for their fruit and dedicates them to the Supreme Brahman (586-590). The house-wife, while serving food to a dear one, never feels bothered that it might get exhausted; in the same way he does not feel bitterness or anger if a good work is left undone or partly done or does not become elated if it is completed according to plan. The action performed skillfully like this is said to be sattvic because of its predominant sattva quality. I shall tell you now the true nature of rajasic action. Take care that your attention does not flag.

24.  But action, which is done with much effort by one who desires some gain from it or by one who is moved by egoism, that action is said to be of rajas quality.

He (a rajasic doer) is like a fool who never talks sweetly to his parents but is courteous to others (591-595). He is like one, who does not sprinkle water on the basil (Tulsi) plant but pours milk over the grape vine. He does not even get up from his seat to perform the obligatory actions, but if he undertakes work with a selfish motive, he does not feel any strain even if he has to labour hard. He is not satisfied even if he sows large quantities of seed in the field or if he invests large amounts in the business of money-lending. Just as one who has acquired a philosopher's stone spends all his riches in the purchase of iron and becomes prosperous (596-600), so this, rajasic doer, with an eye on their fruit, performs laborious works, but does not feel that he has undertaken enough work. He performs well, in anticipation of their fruits, a number of actions with a selfish motive and as laid down by the scriptures, but he blows his trumpet of having done so and gives gifts to earn the reputation of being a pious person. Puffed up by the works undertaken by him he does not show proper respect to his parents or his preceptor, just as typhus fever is defiant of medicine. Then whatever actions he undertakes with an egoistic feeling and with the desire for their fruit, he exerts himself to perform them, like an acrobat who performs feats to earn his livelihood. A rat scoops up a mountain to gain one grain, a frog stirs up the sea for moss or the snake-charmer carries the burden of snakes though he gets nothing more than paltry alms. What a pity that such persons find pleasure in exertions of this kind! Like the white ant which digs the ground up to the nether world for the sake of a grain of corn, they labour hard to gain the celestial pleasures. Such laborious action which is reward-oriented is rajasic action. Now hear the characteristics of tamasic action.

25.  And action undertaken from delusion without regard to one's capacity or consequences (such as) death or injury is said to be of tamas quality.

That is tamasic action, which is the sink of slander and because of which the prohibitions have fulfilled their life's purpose. The result of such action does not become perceptible like the line drawn on the water. Such action is of no avail like the churning of butter-milk, the blowing of ashes, or the grinding of the sand in an oil-mill or winnowing the chaff or piercing the space, or placing a net to catch the wind (611-615). Otherwise such actions which are performed by wearing out the valuable human body and by spending money devastates the world. Just as when the lotuses are dragged with a thorny noose, the noose becomes worn out, but the lotuses also get torn, or just as the moth attacks the lamp with hatred and with the loss of its life extinguishes the lamp and keeps the house in darkness, in the same way the tamasic karma not only proves injurious to the doer and his body, but also causes harm to others. The fly enters the belly of a person and dies, but it causes him agony by making him vomit: the tamasic action reminds one of this actions of the fly (616-620). Such a person undertakes an action without thinking whether he has the capability to perform it. He sets out to perform the action thoughtlessly through egotism without any thought about his resources, the occasion and his gain from such action. Fire burns its own dwelling-place (i.e. wooden sticks from which the Are is produced by friction) and spreads out and the sea swells transgressing its limits. (621-625) Then they surge forward, without looking backward or forward and treating big and small and highways and byways alike. Know, O Arjuna, that the tamasic action is that which does not distinguish between what is proper and improper, and between what is one's own and what 1s another's. So I have explained to you with reason how action has become threefold on account of the three gunas. Just as the same person becomes fourfold because of stages of life (ashramas) so the agent also, who has the egoistic feeling of being the doer, also becomes threefold on account of the three distinct kinds of action. I shall now describe the sattvic agent, listen attentively (626-630).

26.  An agent free from attachment and egoism, possessing firmness and zeal, and unmoved by success or failure is said to be endowed with sattva.

As the branches of the sandal tree relinquishing desire grow straight, or the betel plant though without fruit is fruitful because of its leaves, so he performs the obligatory (nitya) and occasional (naimittica) actions. But these should not be regarded as futile. These actions never become in vain. Oh Arjuna, haw can a fruit bear another fruit? He performs many such actions sincerely, but as the cloud in the rainy season gives rain without a thunder, he feels no conceit as their agent. After resolving to perform actions to be dedicated to God (631-635), he chooses the proper time and place for their performance and in doubtful cases he decides the matter by reference to the scriptures. By bringing harmony into the senses and his natural inclinations, he binds his feet with fetters of self-restraint and does not allow his mind to turn to the fruit of action. As long as he lives, he takes care to keep up fortitude of the best kind in order to achieve self-restraint. He does not care for his physical comforts while working, out of love for the attainment of self-realisation. While doing such works he forgoes sleep, does not feel the pangs of hunger and is not touched by sensuous pleasures (636-640). As gold burnt in fire suffers loss of weight but improves in purity. He feels even more enthusiastic about performing actions. If a person has disinterested love for something, he cares a two pence for his life for its sake. When the faithful wife leaps into the funeral pyre of her husband, she is covered with horripilation all over her body. Therefore, O Arjuna, if someone is enamoured of his Self, will he mind if his body suffers from love's labour? As desire for sensuous pleasures diminishes and he loses consciousness of his body, his joy in performing actions is redoubled. In this way, if some action started by him comes to a stop by mischance (641-645), like a cart dashing down a cliff, he does not feel uneasy about it. On the other hand, if the work begun by him reaches its consummation, he does not parade his success. O Arjuna, only a person who displays these characteristics while performing actions should be called a sattvika agent. O winner of wealth, now a sure sign of a rajasa agent is that all worldly desires dwell in him.

27.  An agent, full of passion and desirous of the fruit of actions, greedy, destructive and unclean and subject to Joy and gloom, is said to be endowed with rajas quality.

Just as a dung-hill is a place where all the village rubbish accumulates or the funeral ground is the place wherein all inauspicious things gather. (646-650) so the rajasic agent is the place where all desires and sins in the world wash their feet. Such a person undertakes only such works as yield the desired fruit. He is loth to spend even a cowrie out of his earnings, to preserve which he is even prepared to risk his life. As a heron lies in wait to catch the fish, he is diligent in preserving his hoard, but is ever ready to pocket the property of others. If a person goes near a jujube tree, he is caught by its thorns, his body gets scratched if he tries to disentangle himself and his tongue smarts if he eats its fruit. (651-655) Likewise he gives pain to others with his body, speech and mind, is indifferent to doing good to others and secures his own self-interest. He is not capable of completing the work undertaken, but he does not take dislike to action in any form. He is devoid of purity internally and externally like the thorn-apple which has intoxicating pulp inside and thorns outside. If he comes into possession of the fruit of his action, he becomes overjoyed and mocks the world. On the other hand, if the work undertaken does not hear fruit, he grieves and rejects it disdainfully (656-660). Know for certain that whoever performs actions in this manner is a rajasa agent. Now I shall tell you clearly the nature of the tamasic agent, who is a mine of bad deeds.

28.  An agent who is undisciplined, vulgar and stubborn, deceitful, dishonest and indolent, morose and procrastinating, is said to be endowed with tamas quality.

The fire does not know how things coming into contact with it burn, or a weapon does not realise how its sharp edge takes the life of another or the poison is not aware how fatal it is to others. Likewise a tamasic agent readily undertakes wicked deeds which tend to harm himself and others (661-665). He is not conscious about the kind of actions he is performing like a whirlwind blowing helter-skelter. So also, O Arjuna, his actions do not harmonise with his motives; and so the tamasic agent is not outmatched by a person of unsound mind. He lives in the enjoyment of sensuous pleasures like the ticks which suck the blood from the scrotum of a bull. As the child does not require any occasion to laugh or cry, so he is wayward in his behaviour. Since he is completely under the sway of prakriti, he becomes contented and puffed up with his wicked deeds like a dung-hill which swells with rubbish (666-670). He does not bow down his head even before God and he looks askance at a hill due to pride. His mind is always deceitful and his behaviour furtive, while his look is like that of a harlot, whose sole aim is to rob a person of all his wealth. His body, in fact, is full of deceit and his entire life is like a gambling den. Know that his appearance is like the habitation of a criminal tribesman, and so one should not cross his path. He becomes indignant, when he sees that somebody is doing better. Just as salt when mixed with milk makes it unfit for drinking (671-675), or a cold thing put in Are catches Are and suddenly blazes forth, or a good dish after entering the colon turns into filth, so if the good deeds of others pass through his hands, they become just the opposite. He regards the virtues of others as vices, and just as milk served to a snake becomes poison, even nectar in his hand becomes deadly poison. When, however, a virtuous act, which would make his life here worthwhile and also lead him to heaven comes his way (676-680), at that time he is definitely overtaken by sleep. But the same sleep leaves him as if to avoid pollution, when the time comes to perform an evil deed. As the crow has a mouth disease in the season of grapes or mangoes, or the owl suffers from blindness during daytime, so sloth overtakes him on holy days, but leaves him, as if in obedience to his order, when he is about to do some wicked deed. As the sub-marine Are remains burning in the belly of the sea, grief overtakes him (when fortune smiles on somebody). Just as fire made out of cow-dung gives out smoke or the anus ever throws out foul-smelling wind, he suffers from gloom throughout his life (681-685). O Arjuna. he starts transactions in the hope of a gain beyond the present epoch and suffers from anxiety unknown to this world. But with all this effort not even a blade of grass comes into his hand. In this way, he who is a mass of sins in flesh and blood, is definitely a- tamasic agent. Thus, O Arjuna, I have explained to you the threefold characteristics of action, agent and knowledge.

29.  Now listen to the division of intellect and firmness, threefold according to the qualities, to be described fully and severally, O winner of wealth (Arjuna).

Now the intellect, which dwells in the hamlet of ignorance (i.e. the body), wears the new apparel in the form of infatuation and is decorated with the ornament in the form of doubt (686-690). That intellect, which is the mirror for revealing the true nature of the individual Self, is of three kinds. Is there anything in this world which is not made threefold by the three qualities? Where can we find the firewood which does not contain fire in it? So also where is the thing which is not threefold in this visible world? And so this intellect, as also firmness, has become threefold as a result of these three qualities. I shall tell you now their distinct forms with their characteristics in detail (691-695). But of these two, I shall first relate to you the three kinds of intellect along with their qualities. There are three ways, namely the best, the middling and the worst, by which man comes into this world. These three well-known ways are performance of prescribed actions, motivated actions, and prohibited actions, because of which all living beings are subject to the fearful mundane existence.

30.  That which knows when to act and when to desist, what ought to be done and what ought not to be done the cause at fear and fearlessness, that intellect, O Partha, arises from sattvic quality.

The obligatory actions which you are qualified to do and which are enjoined upon you by the scripture, are the best. One should perform these actions with an eye on their fruit, namely attainment of the Self, just as a thirsty person drinks water (696-700). Their performance frees one from the danger of rebirth and facilitates the attainment of liberation. The wise person who performs such actions becomes free from the fear of worldly existence and takes to the path of liberation. That intellect which has faith in the obligatory actions and resolves to perform them is sure to attain liberation. So why not leap into action by raising renunciation on the foundation of activity? A person afflicted by thirst drinks water; one who has fallen into the flood saves his life by swimming; and one who has fallen in a dark well comes out with the aid of sunlight (701-705). An ailing person who takes medicine and proper diet lives and if the fish gets the support of water, it does not have to fear for its life. So if a person performs the obligatory actions, he is sure to attain liberation. This intellect of sattvic quality is inclined to the performance of obligatory actions and knows also the actions which are not At to be performed. As regards those actions which are performed with a motive or which are tainted because of their being prohibited, the intellect does not turn to them, as they are not At to be performed and are fraught with the fear of rebirth and death (706-710). O Arjuna, one does not enter into fire, or leap into deep water or seize a red hot impaling stake in his hand or touch with one's hand a hissing cobra or go into a tiger's den. The intellect feels. mightily afraid after seeing such actions prohibited by the scriptures. One cannot escape death when served with poisoned food. In the same way, one cannot avoid the cycle of birth and death if one performs prohibited actions. When the intellect comes to realise that such actions lead to bondage, it turns away from them (711-715). Just as a jeweller can determine by a suitable test genuine and counterfeit gems, so the intellect also makes a scrutiny of desirable and undesirable actions and then decides upon undertaking them or abstaining from them respectively. That which knows clearly what is good or evil action, is known as the sattvic intellect.

31.  That by which one knows wrongly that is right and what is wrong, what is one's duty and what is not, that intellect, O Partha, arises from rajas quality.

Just as in the village of herons they drink milk mixed with water, or a blind person cannot distinguish between day and night, or the bee which relishes honey in flowers is ready to scoop the wood without losing its status as a bee, so this rajasic intellect performs actions without distinguishing between merit and demerit (716-720). If a person buys pearls without proper inspection, he can hardly secure the best ones; he will definitely get the bad ones. So if a prohibited action does not fall to his lot through a happy chance, it is left out; otherwise his intellect treats both kinds of actions as equal. Just as one invites the whole society to a ceremonial feast (without considering whether they are worthy of it or not), that intellect which does not know how to choose between pure and impure actions is rajasic intellect.

32.  That which, obscured by darkness, mistakes the wrong to be right, and all matters in a perverted manner, that intellect, O Partha, arises from tamas quality.

Just as a thief considers a highway as a byway, or the demon's day begins with night-fall, or an unlucky person foregoes treasure found by him as a heap of charcoal, so this intellect considers all religious acts as sins and what is true as false. (721-725) It construes all rules of shastras wrongly and considers all good qualities as defects. In short, whatever has the sanction of the Vedas is considered perverse by this intellect. Such intellect should be known as tamasic intellect, without reference to anyone. How can a dark night be considered suitable for giving of alms? O you, who are like the full moon which opens up the lotus in the form of Self-knowledge, I have made clear to you the three types of' intellect (726-730). Now when this intellect decides to undertake any action, the steadiness which sustains it is also of three kinds. I shall now explain to you, with their respective characteristics, the three types of steadiness; please give your attention.

33.  That firmness, by which one upholds the activities of the mind, breath and senses by means of unfailing yoga, that steadiness, O Partha, arises from sattva quality.

When the sun rises, all darkness vanishes and all thefts cease, and when the King so orders all underhand dealings come to a stop. When a strong wind blows, all the clouds are swept out with their thunder or when the sage Agastya (Sirius) appears, the sea becomes calm. When the moon rises all the day-lotuses close. (731-735) When an elephant in rut cows face to face with a roaring lion, he forgets to put his foot down which he had raised (to attack an enemy). So when the sattvic steadiness rises in the heart, all the activities of the mind, life-breath and senses come to a stop. Then the bond between the senses and their objects automatically ceases and all the senses enter the womb of their mother i.e. the mind (instead of turning to their objects). The prana, which moves upward and upward, being blocked, along with the nine different vital airs, enters the sushumna nadi, and the mind being stripped of its garments in the form of desires and fancies, the intellect remains quiet behind it (736-740). In this way that firm steadiness brings the functions of the mind, vital airs and senses to a standstill: and confines them through the power of yoga in the chamber of meditation. It then keeps them shut up there and prevents them from succumbing to any temptations, until it delivers them to their Lord, the Supreme Self. That is the sattvic steadiness, so said the Lord of goddess Lakshmi to Arjuna.

34.  But that firmness by which one holds fast, O Arjuna, to duty, pleasure and wealth, through attachment, desiring their fruit, that firmness, O Partha, arises from rajas quality.

When the embodied Self remains in the enjoyment of duty. Wealth and sensual pleasures in both the heaven (741-745) and the earth, he carries on his business of the above three aims of life in the sea of desires. When he sees that by investing capital in the form of actions, he reaps fourfold profit from it, he conducts his affairs with firmness. The firmness with which he exerts himself is called rajasic firmness. Now I shall tell you the characteristics of tamasic firmness.

35.  That by which a dull-witted person does not forego sleep, fear and grief, as also despair and delusion, that firmness, O Partha, arises from tamas quality.

This (tamasic) firmness is made up of all heinous qualities, as coal is formed of a black substance. Why then call such a mean and base thing as a quality? But do we not describe a demon as meritorious person (punyajana) (746-750)? We also call the planet Mars, which burns like a live coal as auspicious (mangala). So the word quality is employed in respect of the tamas quality without much thought. It has a close relation with sloth; and sleep does not leave a tamasic person, as misery does not desert a person who nurtures sin. Just as a stone does not lose its hardness, so fear does not leave him, as he is attached to the body and wealth. As sin never deserts an ungrateful person, grief dwells in him because of his attachment to wordily things (751-755). As he harbours discontent in the heart day and night, melancholy is his constant companion. Foul smell never leaves garlic, or disease never leaves a patient who does not follow the prescribed diet; so despondency does not desert him till death. As his infatuation for youth, wealth and desire increases, arrogance makes its home in his heart. Just as fire does not shed its heat, or the snake his spite, fear which is the foe of all dwells in him incessantly. Just as the god of death does not forget the body, so arrogance has a fixed abode in him (756-760). So know that the firmness which is sustained by five flaws (viz. sloth, sleep, fear. despondency and arrogance) is steadiness of tamas quality, so said Shri Krishna, Lord of the world.

He further added: the intellect decides what action should be undertaken, and firmness carries out that action to its successful end. Even though a person sees the way in the sunlight, he' has to walk over it with his own feet, but he has to make up his mind to do so. So the intellect shows the way to action and makes available the means also. (761-765) But one must have steadiness to see it through. In this way I have explained to you three kinds of firmness.

Now when actions are performed, they bear the fruit which is known as happiness which is also threefold according to the actions. I shall now explain to you in clear terms how this happiness becomes different on account of the three qualities. But how can I describe it in a pure form? Because when the words describing it are heard, they are defiled by the wax in the ears. You should, therefore, discard the aid of the ears or even external attention and hear it with the aid of the heart (766-770). Saying this the Lord began to describe the three-fold happiness, which I shall now explain.

36.  And hear from Me, O best of Bharatas, about the three kinds of happiness. That in which ' one derives pleasure from practice and puts an end to sorrow;

O intelligent Arjuna, now hear about the threefold happiness, which I had promised to tell you. I shall explain to you in words by which you will be able to understand happiness which results from the union of a human being with his Self. Even a patent medicine has to be taken in appropriate doses, tin has to be electroplated with silver by alchemy or water has to be poured twice or thrice to dissolve salt (771-775). In the same way, when a person secures a little pleasure and continues his yogic practice, all the miseries of his mundane life come to an end. The happiness of the Self so attained by him is of three kinds. I shall tell them one by one.

37.  Tat which is first like venom, but like nectar in the end, and which arises from the purity of the mind, that happiness is said to be of sattva quality.

When the base of a sandalwood tree is encircled by serpents it causes fright, so does a hidden treasure when guarded by a spirit. One has to take the trouble of performing sacrifices in order to gain celestial pleasures. The childhood becomes intolerable because of suffering. One has to put up with the nuisance of smoke in lighting a lamp. And the tongue has to suffer the bitter taste of medicine before cure. (776-780) As in all such ways, O Arjuna, in order to gain spiritual pleasure one has to bear initially the discomforts resulting from the practice of self-control and sense-restraint. It is only when intense dispassion towards worldly pleasures wells up in the heart, it pulls down the hedge between worldly existence and heaven. When he listens to discourses on discriminating knowledge and practises hard vows and rites, the intellect etc. are sorely tried. One has to swallow the currents of prana and apana by the mouth of the sushumna nadi. One has to suffer such great hardships from the very beginning. Intense grief is suffered by the chakravaka pair at their forced separation, by the calf when ft is dragged away from the cow's udder, or by the beggar when he is removed from his' dining plate (781-785) or by the mother whose only child is snatched away by death, or by the fish which is taken out of water. In the same way the sense-organs feel that the end of the epoch has come, when they have to part from their objects. Yet being free from attachment, they face that pain with great courage. So by bearing hardships at the very beginning they attain to supreme bliss, as the gods secured nectar by churning the sea of milk. If steadiness in the form of Lord Shiva. comes forward to drink the venom in the form of asceticism, then it feasts upon the nectar of knowledge. The sour taste of unripe grapes is more burning to the tongue than the touch of a firebrand; yet the same grapes, when ripe, become sweet (786-790). So when dispassion becomes ripe in the light of the knowledge of Self, all pain born of ignorance vanishes along with dispassion. As the river meets the sea, so intellect merges in the Self, revealing the mine of non-dual bliss. So that which is rooted in dispassion and culminates in the peace of Self-realisation is said to be sattvic happiness.

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