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Bhagvad-Gita: Treatise of self-help

by BS Murthy

                                                                      <<Back to Chapter 13

Chapter-14: Proclivities to Know 

        This diagnostic chapter of 27 slokas, known as gunatraya vibhaaga yoga, Differentiation of Qualities Three,details the three human proclivities - virtue, passion and delusion. It concludes with the identification of the realized spirit. It may be noted that s3, s4  and s19 that deal with the Nature and the Spirit are digressions, and thus are  interpolations.

1         

Thus spoke the Lord:

Pass I now thee that knowledge

With which sages free themselves.

2        

Knows whoso this reaches Me

Keeps thus births ’n deaths at bay.

5     

To tie the Spirit ’n body tight

Uses Nature as its threads

Virtue, passion as well delusion. 

6

Spirit as well gets well enticed

By the charms of life well-led 

Steeped in wisdom and virtue. 

7     

Frames of passion as it weds

Spirit gets fond of joys of life.  

8     

It’s in delusion Spirit with sloth 

Doth go in tow on wrong path.  

9     

Gives man virtue life of ease

Grinds him passion in despair

Deprives delusion him of reason.

10

Of the trio often

Takes as lead role one of these

Others to sidelines are confined.

11   

Wearing wisdom on his sleeve

Radiates virtuous throughout life.

12

Plain greedy, or ever restive

It’s the way all passionate live.   

13      

Dull in mind

And perverted

In work lethargic

He’s but deluded.

14   

Peaks as virtue dies as one

Ascends he the State Highest.

15

Dies if one with passion on hold

Comes he back to resume things,

Lives who deluded all his life

Gets he none better in rebirths.

16   

Virtuous sully never their lives

Rue passionate as chase joys 

Go down deluded drain of life.

17   

Gives as virtue wisdom true 

Renders passion unto grief

Leads as delusion into sloth.

18   

Echelons virtuous reach higher 

Remain ‘as is where’ passionate

Go down ladder ever the deluded.

20   

Out of orbit if thou go

Of Nature that grips thy mind

Freed be thou of recurring births.

21   

Thus spoke Arjuna:

Can man ever, rein in matter,

Is there regimen that reins it?

22   

Thus spoke the Lord:

With no let or ever hindrance 

Whatever it be he lets go,

Takes he things all as they come

With none fondness or distaste.

23   

Seeing it all nature's work

From the fringes of conscience

Detached he watches goings on. 

24   

It’s in fairness that he weighs

Affairs of life in fine balance.

25       

Sans self, ego, self-realized

Works his way to state tranquil.

26   

It’s by capping his nature 

Wavers he not from the path

That which truly leads to Me

And in end he turns Brahman.

27   

It’s Me Immortal self of Brahman 

Dharma eternal that’s All-Blissful.

 

Ends thus:

Proclivities to Know,

The Fourteenth Chapter  

Of Bhagavad-Gita,

Treatise of self-help.

    

(cont...)

 <<Back to Chapter 13

Introduction  Chapter 1   Chapter 2    Chapter 3    Chapter 4   

Chapter 5    Chapter 6  Chapter 7  Chapter 8    Chapter 9  

Chapter 10 Chapter 11   Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 

Chapter 15  Chapter 16  Chapter 17  Chapter 18

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