Latest / Sacred Texts Archive / 12 - Of the Religion of Faith - Bhagavad Gita
Transcript
- Chapter twelve of the Religion of Faith. Arjuna. Lord of the men who serve thee true in heart as God reveal'd, And of the men who serve worshiping thee unreveal'd unbodied, far which take the better way of faith and life Krishna, whoever serve me as I shew myself constantly true in full devotion fix'd these hold I very holy. But who serve worshiping me the one, the invisible, the unrevealed, unnamed, unthinkable, uttermost, all pervading, highest sure, who thus adore me, mastering their sense of one, set mind to all glad in all good. These blessed souls come unto me. Yet the travail is for whoso bend their minds to reach the unmanifest. That viewless path shall scarce be trod by man bearing his flesh. But wheereso any doeth all his deeds, renouncing self in me, full of me, fix to serve only the highest night and day, musing on me him, will I swiftly lift forth from life's ocean of distress and death. Whose soul clings fast to me, cling thou to me, class me with heart and mind, So shalt thou dwell surely with me on high. But if thy thought droops from such height, if thou beest weak to set body and soul upon me constantly despair, not give me lower service. Seek to read me, worshiping with steadfast will. And if thou canst not worship steadfastly, work for me toil in word truks pleasing to me, for he that laboreth right for love of me shall finally attain. But if in this thy faint heart fails, bring me thy failure, find refuge in me, Let fruits of labor go, renouncing all for me with lowliest heart. So shalt thou come. For though to know is more than diligence, yet worship better is than knowing, and renouncing better still near to renunciation, very near dwelleth eternal peace, who hateth not of all which lives, living himself, benign, compassionate from arrogance, exempt, exempt from love of self, unchangeable by good or ill, patient, contented, firm in faith, mastering himself true to his word, seeking me heart and soul, vowed unto me that man I love who troubleth not his kind, and is not troubled by them, clear of wrath, living too high for gladness, of grief or fear. That man I love, who dwelling, quiet eyed, stainless, serene, well balanced, unperplexed, working with me, yet from all works detached, That man I love, who fixed in faith on me, doats upon none, scorns none, rejoices not, and grieves not, letting good and evil hap light when it will and when it will depart. That man I love, who, unto friend and foe, keeping an equal heart with equal mind, bears shame and glory, with an equal peace, takes heat and cold, pleasure and pain, abides, quit of desires, hears praise or calumny, in passionless restraint, unmoved by each, linked by no ties to earth, steadfast in me, that man I love, But most of all I love those happy ones to whom tis life to live in single, fervid faith and love, unseeing, eating the blessed amrit of my being. End of Chapter twelve.