The Bhagavad Gita

by Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa

Depend on me completely.

There is nothing that exists separate from me, Arjuna.

I am the taste of pure water

I am desire itself, if that desire is in harmony with the purpose of life.

But they cross over this maya who take refuge in me.

for whom there is no higher goal than me, may be regarded as my very Self.

After many births the wise seek refuge in me, seeing me everywhere and in everything.

There are others whose discrimination is misled by many desires.

When a person is devoted to something with complete faith, I unify his faith in that.

Then, when faith is completely unified, one gains the object of devotion.

Those who see me ruling the cosmos,

Whatever a person thinks about in life – his or her deepest motivations – are likely to be the last thoughts at the time of death.

who has no worldly baggage, who will remember Krishna at the final hour.

To ensure he will focus his devotion on Krishna at the hour of death, Arjuna should make a practice of remembering him continually now.

My highest nature, the imperishable Brahman, gives every creature its existence and lives in every creature as the adhyatma.

Those who remember me at the time of death will come to me.

Whatever occupies the mind at the time of death determines the destination of the dying; always they will tend toward that state of being.

Therefore, remember me at all times ...

When you make your mind one-pointed through regular practice of meditation, you will find the supreme glory of the Lord.

Those whose lives are dedicated to Brahman attain this supreme goal.

I am easily attained by the person who always remembers me and is attached to nothing else.

Great souls make their lives perfect and discover me;

This chapter praises Krishna as the Supreme Being who has created the world and dwells immanent in his creation.

It makes the point that whatever a person deeply desires – whatever he or she worships – will eventually be attained, in some life or other.

But those who have no faith in the supreme law of life do not find me, Arjuna. They return to the world, passing from death to death.

I pervade the entire universe in my unmanifested form.

Under my watchful eye the laws of nature take their course.

worship

without wavering.

They see that where there is One, that One is me; where there are many, all are me; they see my face everywhere.

I am the only refuge,

Those who worship me and meditate on me constantly, without any other thought – I will provide for all their needs.

those who worship their ancestors will be united with them after death. Those who worship phantoms will become phantoms; but my devotees will come to me.

Whatever I am offered in devotion with a pure heart – a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water – I accept with joy.

But those who worship me

with love live in me, and I come to life in them.

Never forget this, Arjuna: no one who is devoted to me will ever come to harm.

From within them I light the lamp of wisdom and dispel all darkness from their lives.

Among the senses I am the mind,

Among bodies of water I am the ocean.

I am the repetition of the holy name,

Among purifying forces I am the wind;

Behold, Arjuna, a million divine forms, with an infinite variety of color and shape.

There, within the body of the God of gods, Arjuna saw all the manifold forms of the universe united as one.

Filled with amazement, his hair standing on end in ecstasy, he bowed before the Lord with joined palms and spoke these words.

you are embodied in every form.

cosmos is your body.

your radiance warms the cosmos.

The multitudes of gods, demigods, and demons are all overwhelmed by the sight of you.

all creatures