Chapter (অধ্যায়): GITA II PAGE-464Page: 464 of 521

real question. Such a man is the same whether his work succeeds or fails. His heart does not give one false beat even if his whole life-work is burnt to ashes in a moment. "This is the sage who always works for work's sake without caring for the results. Thus he goes beyond the pain of birth and death. Thus he becomes free."1 Then he sees that this attachment is all delusion. The Self can never be attached. ...Then he goes beyond all the scriptures and philosophies.2 If the mind is deluded and pulled into a whirlpool by books and scriptures, what is the good of all these scriptures? One says this, another says that.What book shall you take? Stand alone! See the glory of your won soul, and see that you will have to work. Then you will become a man of firm will.3

Arjuna asks: "Who is a person of established will?"4

[Krishna answers:] "The man who has given up all desires, who desires nothing, not even this life, nor freedom, nor gods, nor work, nor anything. When he has become perfectly satisfied, he has no more cravings."5 He has seen the glory of the Self and has found that the world, and the gods, and heaven are...within his own Self. Then the gods become no gods; death becomes no death; life becomes no life. Everything has changed. "A man is said to be [illumined] if his will has become firm, if his mind is not disturbed by misery, if he does not desire any happiness, if he is free of all [attachment], of all fear, of all anger.6 ...

"As the tortoise can draw in his legs, and if you strike him, not one foot comes out, even so the sage can

 



Foot Note:

1     Ibid. 51.

2     Ibid. 52.

3     Ibid. 53.

4     Ibid. 54.

5     Ibid. 55.

6     Ibid. 56.