Bhagvad-Gita: Treatise of Self-help by BS Murthy (best summer reads of all time TXT) 📕

40  
One and All, who pervades all
Thou All-Powerful, praise be Thee.

41  
Ignorant being of Thy Great Being 
Owing to contempt familiarity bred
Sadly I have been badly behaving.

42         
As I took Thee for granted
Kindly forgive, O, Great Soul.

43  
Thou art Greater than greatest 
None Thee in three worlds equal. 

44  
Treat me kindly ’n forgive 
All I crave for, is Thy grace.

45  
Form Thy Current holds dreadful  
Pray show Divine Grace of Thine.

46  
With mace, discus ’n diadem
Pray assume Thy Form four-armed.   

47 
Thus spoke the Lord:  
As thou please Me, so I’ve shown
Form My Endless, none else seen.

48 
Take to penance
Or pore over four Vedas  
None that helps to see this Form.

49  
Having beheld My bewildering Form
Now ease with My Form Normal. 

50  
Thus spoke Sanjaya:
Having said thus Lord assumed 
His form normal that calmed Arjun.

51  
Thus spoke Arjuna:
O, Lord now I feel normal 
With Thy gentle form human.

52  
Thus spoke the Lord:
Ever crave gods ’n angels too 
Just to behold that thee beheld.

53 
Austerities well Vedic grasp
Charity, as well ritual regimen  
Get none to what thou had seen.

54  
Yet in devotion, divines man
Attains besides, Form this Mine.

55  
He that takes Me for Supreme
And treats his work as Mine own one, 
Gets who rid of his restraints
And keeps his faith in Me always, 
He who bears no ill-feeling
Ever on move, he comes to Me.

Ends thus: 
Nature of Omnipresence,
The Eleventh Chapter  
Of Bhagavad-Gita,
Treatise of self-help.

Chapter 12

Doctrine of Faith

This chapter of 20 slokas, known as bhakti yoga, Doctrine of Faith, enumerates the human qualities that are endearing to the Supreme Spirit. In this also are discussed the ways in which one still could win the Lord’s favour yet failing to set store on Him.

1  
Thus spoke Arjuna:
Pray tell who’s better realized, 
One that devoted as stated 
Or relies who on God Obscure.

2  
Thus spoke the Lord:
Me in devotion who worships   
Him I reckon as well realized.

3
Having said that add I might
Looks as one to God Obscure -

4  
Doth he fine with senses reined  
If well disposed towards the world.

5  
But it’s tough ask nonetheless  
For one to realize God Obscure.

6  
Whosoever hath faith in Me
And leans on Me heart ’n soul -   

7  
Him I help to cross over 
Ocean vast of births ’n deaths.

8  
If thou develop faith in Me  
Take for granted I take thee.

9  
Were thee to fail develop faith
It’s not thou reached blind alley, 
Ever Me having in thy mind
Practice lets thee turn the bend.

10  
If thou feel that’s hard as well 
Indulge then in deeds Me please.
11  
If thou find that difficult too 
Give thyself to Me Supreme 
Act then with thy subdued mind   
With no thought for what follows. 

12  
Scores thought over mere roting 
Betters meditation awareness too 
What helps man to find moorings
Are acts his with no axe to grind.

13 
Kind-hearted ’n considerate
Friendly natured, forgiving too 
Lays no store on highs and lows
Suffers no pride ’n possessive not –

14  
Who's patient ’n cheerful  
Self-willed as well persevering,
Who's hearty ever at work  
Makes he devout My beloved.

15 
Troubles he none or perturbs 
It’s such poised I’m proud of.

16 
Who’s simple, never in want  
Covets he not in vantage post
Shakes him none, he keeps his nerve
It’s such who Me please the most.

17  
He’s My darling who craves not
Yet won’t shun the pleasures of life
Takes but things all as they come.

18  
Treats he equal friends ’n foes  
Scorn or honour minds he not
Keeps he cool in grief and joy  
Nurses for none soft centre –

19  
Pats ’n slights all in the score
Treats as equal score My man 
Takes he in his stride his lot  
But won’t put the blame on Me.

20  
Who in dharma this engage
Them I hold in special esteem.

Ends thus:
Doctrine of Faith,
The Twelfth Chapter 
Of Bhagavad-Gita,
Treatise of self-help.

Chapter 13

Field and Farmer

This chapter of 35 slokas, known as kshetra kshetragjnya vibhãga yoga, Field and Farmer, deals with body and spirit in the first half, and for the rest about Prakruti (Nature) and Purusha (Supreme Spirit). It may be noted that customarily the first verse that is carried here is either omitted altogether or retained unnumbered for reasons none explained.

Thereby to avoid confusion in comparison, the same is numbered 0 in this text. One might notice that s10,  advocating asceticism to which Lord Krishna is opposed, doesn't jell with the rest, either contextually or philosophically, and thus should be seen as an interpolation.

S22, which states that the Supreme Soul, lay in beings as a sustainer, consenter, enjoyer and overseer, contravenes its very nature expostulated in s16-s18, ch.15. Besides, as can be seen, it affects the continuity between s21 and s23 of this chapter. S30, akin to s15 is an irrelevant interpolation too.

0
Thus spoke Arjuna:
What is nature ’n its role, 
What is spirit ’n its nature, 
What is frame ’n who lords it
What makes feeling ’n sixth sense?

1
Thus spoke the Lord:
Sees who body his as field 
Sees he all there is to see.

2  
Knows who Spirit One dwells in all  
Knows he all that’s there to know.

3  
Lend thy ear, as I reveal  
Nature of thy frame, as well
Spirit that tenants as farmer  
Besides Him and His prowess. 

4  
In chants validate what Vedas
Aspects that well Brahmanãs delve 
Reasoned wise in varied ways.

5  
Subject to reason, ego as well
Steeped is frame in elements five, 
Earth, water, fire, ether and air 
Organs those ten, as well mind. 

6  
Desire, derision, pleasure ’n pain 
Pitch their tents in frames human.

7  
Knowing is being - 
Amiable and humble, simple ’n honest   
Patient ’n decent, clean and clear 
Not to speak of fair and firm –

8  
Void of desires, egotism devoid 
Passion none for life and times –

9  
With no craving for possessions 
Fondness none for things of life  
None the averse, all the same.

11 
Naive though fail to follow suit 
Tend all wise to probe nature 
And strive to see the Spirit in Me.   

12  
Let Me tell thee what’s needed
To let thee grasp the State Brahman 
Which if done would bring in bliss.

13  
All-Reaching, He’s All-Seeing
All Hearing, He pervades all.

14  
Organs in His likeness made       
Unlinked though to their senses, 
He that sustains all three worlds 
Unattached though to goings on.

15  
In beings all ’n objects too  
Within He lies, without as well,
If one comes to grasp this well
It’s perception that’s Supreme.

16  
It’s how Brahman dwells in all 
Till He ends all what that keeps. 

17  
He’s the Light that leaves no shade
He’s the One for one to know 
He’s the Goal of all learning  
He’s the Tenant in every heart.

18  
It’s the knowable of the frame
Me who worship come to grasp.

19  
Spirit ’n Nature, ageless both 
Nature of beings, of Nature born.

20   
It’s Nature that tends beings   
Binding Spirit to one’s own acts.

21 
Spirit that lay in beings all
Inclines to one’s attitudes, 
With the ethos it imbibes
Tends it one to like rebirth. 

23  
Gets one freed, as he grasps
Aspects Nature ’n Spirit as well.

24  
Indulge who in meditation  
Find they Supreme Spirit in them, 
Some as divine through wisdom
Others do so by deeds selfless. 

25  
He who finds this all too hard
May he obtain wise counsel 
And be rid of births and deaths.

26  
Whatever exists in this world 
Designs Spirit in Nature’s womb.

27  
Sees he well, who would see  
What doth perish is just the frame
End there none to Spirit therein.

28 
Realize if thou Spirit in thee
Same as one that dwells in all 
Hurt thou never thine own self
Thereby attain Me Supreme.

29  
Beings act per their nature
Thus the Spirit that lay in them  
Hath no hand in deeds of theirs.

31  
Having none its attributes
Apart being from nature   
Spirit hath no qualms of its own.  

32  
As with ether, spread all over 
None the sullied, exposed being 
So is the case with Spirit in thee.

33 
Sun as one lights all three worlds 
It’s one Spirit that glows all frames.

34  
Aware if thee of Spirit ’n frame  
Frees that thou from all bindings 
Making way to reach Supreme.,,,

Ends thus:  
Field and Farmer,
The Thirteenth Chapter
Of Bhagavad-Gita,
Treatise of self-help.

Chapter 14

Proclivities to Know

This diagnostic chapter of 27 slokas, known as gunatraya vibhãga yoga, Differentiation of Qualities Three, details the three human proclivities - virtue, passion and delusion. It concludes with the identification of the realized spirit.

However, 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.

Chapter 15

Art of Liberation

This unique chapter of 20 slokas, is known as purushottama prãpti yoga, Realization of the Supreme. S9, s12, s13, s14 and s15 being digressions are clearly interpolations.

Beginning with the parable of world as a fig tree, it later deals with the indwelling spirit and the Supreme Spirit, and the perishable man and the imperishable Purusha (Supreme Spirit).

1  
Thus spoke the Lord:
Wise see Nature as fig tree huge
Roots its planted in high skies 
Branching down with Vedic leaves   
Helps which man reach State Supreme.

2  
So to feed on their organs 
With its downward roots it ties 
Beings all to mundane things,
With man being charged by wants
Supplies he the feed it needs
Through the knots of threefold ways.

3  
Man as fails to lay his hands
Roots on those that entwine him 
Helps dispassion sunder them.

4  
Roots as sundered, one gets freed
To reach the Vedic branch in reach, 
Grasps as he the truth there all
Goes he up from