SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 22
ye hi samsparsa-ja bhoga
duhkha-yonaya eva te
ady-antavantah kaunteya
na tesu ramate budhah

ye--those; hi--certainly; samsparsa-jah--by contact with the material senses; bhogah--enjoyments; duhkha--distress; yonayah--sources of; eva--certainly; te--they are; adi--beginning; anta--end; vantah--subject to; kaunteya--O son of Kunti; na--never; tesu--in those; ramate--takes delight; budhah--the intelligent person.

TRANSLATION

An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery, which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kunti, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does not delight in them.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada states at the end of his purport; The more one is addicted to material pleasures, the more he is entrapped by material miseries.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 21
bahya-sparsesv asaktatma
vindaty atmani yat sukham
sa brahma-yoga-yuktatma
sukham aksayam asnute

bahya-sparsesu--in external sense pleasure; asakta-atma--one who is not attached; vindati--enjoys; atmani--in the self; yat--that which; sukham--happiness; sah--he; brahma-yoga--by concentration in Brahman; yukta-atma--self-connected; sukham--happiness; aksayam--unlimited; asnute--enjoys.

TRANSLATION

Such a liberated person is not attracted to material sense pleasure but is always in trance, enjoying the pleasure within. In this way the self-realized person enjoys unlimited happiness, for he concentrates on the Supreme.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 20
na prahrsyet priyam prapya
nodvijet prapya capriyam
sthira-buddhir asammudho
brahma-vid brahmani sthitah

na--never; prahrsyet--rejoices; priyam--the pleasant; prapya--achieving; na--does not; udvijet--become agitated; prapya--obtaining; ca--also; apriyam--the unpleasant; sthira-buddhih--self-intelligent; asammudhah--unbewildered; brahma-vit--one who knows the Supreme perfectly; brahmani--in the transcendence; sthitah--situated.

TRANSLATION

A person who neither rejoices upon achieving something pleasant nor laments upon obtaining something unpleasant, who is self-intelligent, who is unbewildered, and who knows the science of God, is already situated in transcendence.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 19
ihaiva tairjitah sargo
yesam samye sthitam manah
nirdosam hi samam brahma
tasmad brahmani te sthitah

iha--in this life; eva--certainly; taih--by them; jitah--conquered; sargah--birth and death; yesam--whose; samye--in equanimity; sthitam--situated; manah--mind; nirdosam--flawless; hi--certainly; samam--in equanimity; brahma--like the Supreme; tasmat--therefore; brahmani--in the Supreme; te--they; sthitah--are situated.

TRANSLATION

Those whose minds are established in sameness and equanimity have already conquered the conditions of birth and death. They are flawless like Brahman, and thus they are already situated in Brahman.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 16
jnanena tu tad ajnanam
yesam nasitam atmanah
tesam aditya-vajjnanam
prakasayati tat param

jnanena--by knowledge; tu--but; tat--that; ajnanam--nescience; yesam--whose; nasitam--is destroyed; atmanah--of the living entity; tesam--their; aditya-vat--like the rising sun; jnanam--knowledge; prakasayati--discloses; tat param--Krsna consciousness.

TRANSLATION

When, however, one is enlightened with the knowledge by which nescience is destroyed, then his knowledge reveals everything, as the sun lights up everything in the daytime.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada gives a nice example at the the end of his purport; At night we see everything as one in the darkness, but in day, when the sun is up, we see everything in its real identity. Identity with individuality in spiritual life is real knowledge.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 15
nadatte kasyacit papam
na caiva sukrtam vibhuh
ajnanenavrtam jnanam
tena muhyantijantavah

na--never; adatte--accepts; kasyacit--anyone's; papam--sin; na--nor; ca--also; eva--certainly; su-krtam--pious activities; vibhuh--the Supreme Lord; ajnanena--by ignorance; avrtam--covered; jnanam--knowledge; tena--by that; muhyanti--are bewildered; jantavah--the living entities.

TRANSLATION

Nor does the Supreme Lord assume anyone's sinful or pious activities. Embodied beings, however, are bewildered because of the ignorance which covers their real knowledge.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 14
na kartrtvam na karmani
lokasya srjati prabhuh
na karma-phala-samyogam
svabhavas tu pravartate

na--never; kartrtvam--proprietorship; na--no r; karmani--activities; lokasya--of the people; srjati--creates; prabhuh--the master of the city of the body; na--nor; karma-phala--with the results of activities; samyogam--connection; svabhavah--the modes of material nature; tu--but; pravartate--act.

TRANSLATION

The embodied spirit, master of the city of his body, does not create activities, nor does he induce people to act, nor does he create the fruits of action. All this is enacted by the modes of material nature.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 13
sarva-karmani manasa
sannyasyaste sukham vasi
nava-dvare pure dehi
naiva kurvan na karayan

sarva--all; karmani--activities; manasa--by the mind; sannyasya--giving up; aste--remains; sukham--in happiness; vasi--one who is controlled; nava-dvare--in the place where there are nine gates; pure--in the city; dehi--the embodied soul; na--never; eva--certainly; kurvan--doing anything; na--not; karayan--causing to be done.

TRANSLATION

When the embodied living being controls his nature and mentally renounces all actions, he resides happily in the city of nine gates [the material body], neither working nor causing work to be done.

JOURNAL:

From Srila Prabhupada's purport; The nine gates are mentioned as follows:

nava-dvare pure dehi
hamso lelayate bahih
vasi sarvasya lokasya
sthavarasya carasya ca

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is living within the body of a living entity, is the controller of all living entities all over the universe. The body consists of nine gates [two eyes, two nostrils, two ears, one mouth, the anus and the genitals]. The living entity in his conditioned stage identifies himself with the body, but when he identifies himself with the Lord within himself, he becomes just as free as the Lord, even while in the body." (Svetasvatara Upanisad 3.18)

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 12
yuktah karma-phalam tyaktva
santim apnoti naisthikim
ayuktah kama-karena
phale sakto nibadhyate

yuktah--one who is engaged in devotional service; karma-phalam--the results of all activities; tyaktva--giving up; santimn--perfect peace; apnoti--achieves; naisthikim--unflinching; ayuktah--one who is not in Krsna consciousness; kama-karena--for enjoying the result of work; phale--in the result; saktah--attached; nibadhyate--becomes entangled.

TRANSLATION

The steadily devoted soul attains unadulterated peace because he offers the result of all activities to Me; whereas a person who is not in union with the Divine, who is greedy for the fruits of his labor, becomes entangled.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada ends his purport with this statemnt; This is the secret of Krsna consciousness--realization that there is no existence besides Krsna is the platform of peace and fearlessness.

On this, the twelfth anniversary of the attack by terrorist on the World Trade Centers in New York (where Srila Prabhupada started his work), I invite all my readers to turn to the Audio Offerings page of this blog and listen to Sri Satsvarupa's das Goswami's talk on how we should respond to terrorism.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 11
kayena manasa buddhya
kevalair indriyair api
yoginah karma kurvanti
sangam tyaktvatma-suddhaye

kayena--with the body; manasa--with the mind; buddhya--with the intelligence; kevalaih--purified; indriyaih--with the senses; api--even; yoginah--Krsna conscious persons; karma--actions; kurvanti--they perform; sangam--attachment; tyaktva--giving up; atma--of the self; suddhaye--for the purpose of purification.

TRANSLATION

The yogis, abandoning attachment, act with body, mind, intelligence and even with the senses, only for the purpose of purification.

JOURNAL:

Please remember that some slokas have already been published from this chapter. They can easily be found by going to the sidebar and clicking on the appropriate "Sloka of the Day - by Chapter" number.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 8-9
naiva kincit karomiti
yukto manyeta tattva-vit
pasyan srnvan sprsanjighrann
asnan gacchan svapan svasan

pralapan visrjan grhnann
unmisan nimisann api
indriyanindriyarthesu
vartanta iti dharayan

na--never; eva--certainly; kincit--anything; karomi--I do; iti--thus; yuktah--engaged in the divine consciousness; manyeta--thinks; tattva-vit--one who knows the truth; pasyan--seeing; srn van--hearing; sprsan--touching; jighran--smelling; asnan--eating; gacchan--going; svapan--dreaming; svasan--breathing; pralapan--talking; visrjan--giving up; grhnan--accepting; unmisan--opening; nimisan--closing; api--in spite of; indriyani--the senses; indriya-arthesu--in sense gratification; vartante--let them be so engaged; iti--thus; dharayan--considering.

TRANSLATION

A person in the divine consciousness, although engaged in seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving about, sleeping and breathing, always knows within himself that he actually does nothing at all. Because while speaking, evacuating, receiving, or opening or closing his eyes, he always knows that only the material senses are engaged with their objects and that he is aloof from them.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada begins his purport by expanding a little on the above slokas; A person in Krsna consciousness is pure in his existence, and consequently he has nothing to do with any work which depends upon five immediate and remote causes: the doer, the work, the situation, the endeavor and fortune. This is because he is engaged in the loving transcendental service of Krsna. Although he appears to be acting with his body and senses, he is always conscious of his actual position, which is spiritual engagement.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 7
yoga-yukto visuddhatma
vijitatmajitendriyah
sarva-bhutatma-bhutatma
kurvann api na lipyate

yoga-yuktah--engaged in devotional service; visuddha-atma--a purified soul; vijita-atma--self-controlled; jita-indriyah--having conquered the senses; sarva-bhuta--to all living entities; atma-bhuta-atma--compassionate; kurvan api--although engaged in work; na--never; lipyate--is entangled.

TRANSLATION

One who works in devotion, who is a pure soul, and who controls his mind and senses is dear to everyone, and everyone is dear to him. Though always working, such a man is never entangled.

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada ends his purport with this statement; One may ask, "Why then was Arjuna offensive (in battle) to others? Wasn't he in Krsna consciousness?" Arjuna was only superficially offensive because (as has already been explained in the Second Chapter) all the assembled persons on the battlefield would continue to live individually, as the soul cannot be slain. So, spiritually, no one was killed on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. Only their dresses were changed by the order of Krsna, who was personally present. Therefore Arjuna, while fighting on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, was not really fighting at all; he was simply carrying out the orders of Krsna in full Krsna consciousness. Such a person is never entangled in the reactions of work.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 4
sankhya-yogau prthag balah
pravadanti na panditah
ekam apy asthitah samyag
ubhayor vindate phalam

sankhya--analytical study of the material world; yogau--work in devotional service; prthak--different; balah--the less intelligent; pravadanti--say; na--never; panditah--the learned; ekam--in one; api--even; asthitah--being situated; samyak--complete; ubhayoh--of both; vindate--enjoys; phalam--the result.

TRANSLATION

Only the ignorant speak of devotional service [karma-yoga] as being different from the analytical study of the material world [Sankhya]. Those who are actually learned say that he who applies himself well to one of these paths achieves the results of both.

PURPORT

The aim of the analytical study of the material world is to find the soul of existence. The soul of the material world is Visnu, or the Supersoul. Devotional service to the Lord entails service to the Supersoul. One process is to find the root of the tree, and the other is to water the root. The real student of Sankhya philosophy finds the root of the material world, Visnu, and then, in perfect knowledge, engages himself in the service of the Lord. Therefore, in essence, there is no difference between the two because the aim of both is Visnu. Those who do not know the ultimate end say that the purposes of Sankhya and karma-yoga are not the same, but one who is learned knows the unifying aim in these different processes.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 3
jneyah sa nitya-sannyasi
yo na dvesti na kanksati
nirdvandvo hi maha-baho
sukham bandhat pramucyate

jneyah--should be known; sah--he; nitya--always; sannyasi--renouncer; yah--who; na--never; dvesti--abhors; na--nor; kanksati--desires; nirdvandvah--free from all dualities; hi--certainly; maha-baho--O mighty-armed one; sukham--happily; bandhat--from bondage; pramucyate--is completely liberated.

TRANSLATION

One who neither hates nor desires the fruits of his activities is known to be always renounced. Such a person, free from all dualities, easily overcomes material bondage and is completely liberated, O mighty-armed Arjuna.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 2
sri-bhagavan uvaca
sannyasah karma-yogas ca
nihsreyasa-karav ubhau
tayos tu karma-sannyasat
karma-yogo visisyate

sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Personality of Godhead said; sannyasah--renunciation of work; karma-yogah--work in devotion; ca--also; nihsreyasa-karau--leading to the path of liberation; ubhau--both; tayoh--of the two; tu--but; karma-sannyasat--in comparison to the renunciation of fruitive work; karma-yogah--work in devotion; visisyate--is better.

TRANSLATION

The Personality of Godhead replied: The renunciation of work and work in devotion are both good for liberation. But, of the two, work in devotional service is better than renunciation of work.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 1
arjuna uvāca
sannyāsaḿ karmaṇāḿ kṛṣṇa
punar yogaḿ ca śaḿsasi
yac chreya etayor ekaḿ
tan me brūhi su-niścitam

arjunaḥ uvāca — Arjuna said; sannyāsam — renunciation; karmaṇām — of all activities; kṛṣṇa — O Kṛṣṇa; punaḥ — again; yogam — devotional service; ca — also; śaḿsasi — You are praising; yat — which; śreyaḥ — is more beneficial; etayoḥ — of these two; ekam — one; tat — that; me — unto me; brūhi — please tell; su-niścitam — definitely.

TRANSLATION

Arjuna said: O Kṛṣṇa, first of all You ask me to renounce work, and then again You recommend work with devotion. Now will You kindly tell me definitely which of the two is more beneficial?

JOURNAL:

Srila Prabhupada begins his purport this way: In this Fifth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord says that work in devotional service is better than dry mental speculation. Devotional service is easier than the latter because, being transcendental in nature, it frees one from reaction.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 17
tad-buddhayas tad-atmanas
tan-nisthas tat-parayanah
gacchanty apunar-avrttim
jnana-nirdhuta-kalmasah

tat-buddhayah--those whose intelligence is always in the Supreme; tat-atmanah--those whose minds are always in the Supreme; tat-nisthah--those whose faith is only meant for the Supreme; tat-parayanah--who have completely taken shelter of Him; gacchanti--go; apunah-avrttim--to liberation; jnana--by knowledge; nirdhuta--cleansed; kalmasah--misgivings.

TRANSLATION

When one's intelligence, mind, faith and refuge are all fixed in the Supreme, then one becomes fully cleansed of misgivings through complete knowledge and thus proceeds straight on the path of liberation.

JOURNAL:

I visited with my family yesterday for Christmas and was surprised to receive a pair of katalas as a gift. My ex-wife has never been very supportive of my faith which made the gift all that more special!

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 24
yo 'ntah-sukho 'ntar-aramas
tathantar-jyotir eva yah
sa yogi brahma-nirvanam
brahma-bhuto 'dhigacchati

yah--one who; antah-sukhah--happy from within; antah-aramah--actively enjoying within; tatha--as well as; antah-jyotih--aiming within; eva--certainly; yah--anyone; sah--he; yogi--a mystic; brahma-nirvanam--liberation in the Supreme; brahma-bhutah--being self-realized; adhigacchati--attains.

TRANSLATION

One whose happiness is within, who is active and rejoices within, and whose aim is inward is actually the perfect mystic. He is liberated in the Supreme, and ultimately he attains the Supreme.

PURPORT

Unless one is able to relish happiness from within, how can one retire from the external engagements meant for deriving superficial happiness? A liberated person enjoys happiness by factual experience. He can, therefore, sit silently at any place and enjoy the activities of life from within. Such a liberated person no longer desires external material happiness. This state is called brahma-bhuta, attaining which one is assured of going back to Godhead, back to home.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 23
saknotihaiva yah sodhum
prak sarira-vimoksanat
kama-krodhodbhavam vegam
sa yuktah sa sukhi narah

saknoti--is able; iha eva--in the present body; yah--one who; sodhum--to tolerate; prak--before; sarira--the body; vimoksanat--giving up; kama--desire; krodha--and anger; udbhavam--generated from; vegam--urges; sah--he; yuktah--in trance; sah--he; sukhi--happy; narah--human being.

TRANSLATION

Before giving up this present body, if one is able to tolerate the urges of the material senses and check the force of desire and anger, he is well situated and is happy in this world.

SLOKA OF THE DAY:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is -
Chapter 5 Text 10
brahmany adhaya karmani
sangam tyaktva karoti yah
lipyate na sa papena
padma-patram ivambhasa

brahmani--unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adhaya--resigning; karmani--all works; sangam--attachment; tyaktva--giving up; karoti--performs; yah--who; lipyate--is affected; na--never; sah--he; papena--by sin; padma-patram--a lotus leaf; iva--like; ambhasa--by the water.

TRANSLATION

One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water.

JOURNAL:

In his purport Srila Prabhupada expands on how this is accomplished; In the Isopanisad it is said that everything is related to the Supreme Brahman, or Krsna, and thus everything belongs to Him only. One who knows perfectly well that everything belongs to Krsna, that He is the proprietor of everything and that, therefore, everything is engaged in the service of the Lord, naturally has nothing to do with the results of his activities, whether virtuous or sinful. Even one's material body, being a gift of the Lord for carrying out a particular type of action, can be engaged in Krsna consciousness. It is then beyond contamination by sinful reactions, exactly as the lotus leaf, though remaining in the water, is not wet.