एतावदेव पर्याप्तमुपमानं शुचिस्मिते। कर्मणां फलमस्तीति धीरोऽल्पेनापि तुष्यति
This alone, O pure-smiled one, is sufficient as an example: that actions have fruit, and the wise are satisfied even with little.
बहुनाऽपि ह्यविद्वांसो नैव तुष्यन्त्यबुद्धयः। तेषां न ध्मजं किंचित्प्रेत्य कर्मास्ति शर्म वा
But the unwise, though told much, are never satisfied; for them, after death, there is no fruit of action nor happiness.
कर्मणामुत पुण्यानां पापानां च फलोदयः। प्रभवश्चाप्ययश्चैव देवगुह्यानि भामिनि
The arising of the fruits of actions, both good and bad, and their origin and destruction, O fair lady, are divine mysteries.
नैतानि वेद यः कश्चिन्मुह्यन्त्यत्र प्रजा इमाः। [अपि कल्पसहस्रेण न च श्रेयोऽधिगच्छति ।।]
No one knows these things; people are bewildered by them, and even in a thousand aeons, they do not attain the highest good.
रक्ष्याण्येतानि देवानां गूढमाया हि देवताः। कृशाङ्गाः सुब्रताश्चैव तपसा दग्धकिल्विषाः। प्रसन्नैर्मानसैर्युक्ताः पश्यन्त्येतानि वै द्विजाः
These are to be protected, for they are the hidden mysteries of the gods. The thin-bodied, well-disciplined, whose sins are burned by austerity, whose minds are serene—such twice-born ones perceive these.
न फलादर्सनाद्धर्मः शङ्कितव्यो न देवताः। यष्टव्यं च प्रयत्नेन दातव्यं चानमूयता
Dharma and the gods should not be doubted because their fruits are unseen; one should worship with effort and give without hesitation.
कर्मणां फलमस्तीह तथैतद्धर्मशासनम्। ब्रह्मा प्रोवाच पुत्राणां यदृषिर्वेद काश्यपः
There is indeed a result for actions here; such is the teaching of dharma, as Brahma spoke to his sons and as the seer Kashyapa taught in the Veda.
तस्मात्ते संशयः कृष्णे नीहार इव नश्यतु। विमृश्य सर्वमस्तीति नास्तिक्यं भावमुत्सृज
Therefore, O Krishna, let your doubt vanish like mist; having considered everything, know that results exist—abandon any inclination toward disbelief.
ईश्वरं चापि भूतानां धातारं मा च वै क्षिप। शिक्षस्वैनं नमस्वैनं मा तेऽभूद्बुद्धिरीदृशी
And do not disregard the Lord, the creator of beings; learn of Him, honor Him—do not let your mind take such a course.
यस्य प्रसादात्तद्भक्तो मर्त्यो गच्छत्यमर्त्यताम्। उत्तमां देवतां कृष्णे मातिवोचः कथंचन
By His grace, a devoted mortal attains immortality; never, O Krishna, should you speak lightly of the supreme deity.
नावमन्ये न गर्हे च धर्मं पार्थ कथंचन। ईश्वरं कुत एवाहमवमंस्ये प्रजापतिम्
I never disregard nor disparage dharma in any way, O Partha; how then could I ever belittle the Lord, the creator of beings?
आर्ताऽहं प्रलपामीदमिति मां विद्धि भारत। भूयश्च विलपिष्यामि सुमनास्त्वं निबोध मे
Know me, O Bharata, to be distressed and lamenting thus; yet I will lament further—listen to me with a calm mind.
कर्म खल्विह कर्तव्यं जातेनामित्रकर्शन। अकर्माणो हि जीवन्ति स्थावरा नेतरे जनाः
Indeed, action must be performed by one who is born, O subduer of foes; for only immobile beings live without action, not other creatures.
आमातृस्तन्यपानाच्च यावच्छय्योपसर्पणम्। जङ्गमाः कर्मणा वृत्तिमाप्नुवन्ति युधिष्ठिर
From the time of drinking mother's milk until approaching the bed, O Yudhishthira, living beings obtain their livelihood through action.
जङ्गमेषु विशेषेण मनुष्या भरतर्षभ। इच्छन्ति कर्मणा वृत्तिमवाप्तुं प्रेत्य चेह च
Especially among moving beings, O best of the Bharatas, humans desire to obtain their livelihood through action, both here and after death.
उत्थानमभिजानन्ति सर्वभूतानि भारत। प्रत्यक्षं फलमश्नन्ति कर्मणां लोकसाक्षिकम्
All beings, O Bharata, recognize effort; they experience the visible result of actions, witnessed by the world.
पश्यन्तः स्वं समुत्थानमुपजीवन्ति जन्तरः। अपि धाता विधाता च यथाऽयमुदके बकः
Seeing their own effort, creatures sustain themselves; even the creator and the ordainer, just as this heron in the water.
[अकर्मणां वै भूतानां वृत्तिः स्वान्न हि काचन। तदेवाभिप्रपद्येत न विहन्यात्कदाचन ।।]
For beings who do not act, there is truly no means of livelihood; one should pursue only that, and never hinder it at any time.
स्वकर्म कुरु माहासीः कर्मणा भव दंशितः। कृत्यं हि योऽभिजानाति सहस्रे सोस्ति नास्ति वां
Perform your own duty; do not be negligent in action; among a thousand, only one knows what ought to be done.
तस्य चापि भवेत्कार्वं विवृद्धौ रक्षणे तथा। भक्ष्यमाणो द्यनावाषः क्षीयेत हिमवानपि
And for him too, there should be effort in growth and protection; even the mighty Himalaya would be diminished if continually eroded.
उत्सीदेरन्प्रजाः सर्वा न कुर्युः कर्म चेद्यदि। [तथा ह्येता न वर्धेरन्कर्म चेदफलं भवेत् ।।]
If people did not act, all creatures would perish; likewise, if actions bore no fruit, these would not thrive.
दृष्ट्वाऽपिच फलं कर्म पश्यामः कुर्वतो जनान्। नान्यथा ह्यपि जानन्ति वृत्तिं लोकाः कथंचन
Seeing the result of action, we observe people acting; for otherwise, the world would not know how livelihood is obtained.
यश्च दिष्टपरो लोके यश्चापि हठवादकः। उभावपि शठावेतौ कर्मबुद्धिः प्रशस्यते
He who relies on fate and he who insists stubbornly—both are deceivers; the understanding based on action is praised.
यो हि दिष्टमुपासीत निर्विचेष्टः सुखं स्वपन्। अवसीदेत्सुदुर्बुद्धिरामो घट इवोदके
He who worships fate, remaining inactive and sleeping comfortably, sinks down, foolish and helpless, like a jar in water.
तथैव हठबुद्धिर्यः शक्तः कर्मण्यकर्मकृत्। आसीत न चिरं जीवेदनाथ इव दुर्बलः
Likewise, one who is stubbornly determined, able to act but does nothing, sits idle and does not live long, like a weak person.
अकस्मादिह यः कश्चिदर्थं प्राप्नोति पूरुषः। तं हठेनेति मन्यन्ते स हि यत्नो न कस्यचित्
If someone suddenly attains some object here, people say it is by force; for such a result, no effort belongs to anyone.
वश्चापि कश्रित्पुरुषो दिष्टं नाम भजत्युत। दैवेन विधिना पार्थ तद्दैवमिति निश्चितम्
And if a person receives what is allotted, it is said to be destiny; by divine ordinance, O Partha, this is certainly fate.
यत्तावस्कर्मणा किंचित्फलमाप्नोति पूरुषः। प्रत्यक्षं चक्षुषा दृष्टं तत्पौरुषमिति श्रुतम्
Whatever result a person obtains through effort, seen directly with the eyes, is known as the fruit of human endeavor.
स्वभावतः प्रवृत्तो यः प्राप्नोत्यर्थं न कारणात्। तत्स्वभावात्प्रकं विद्धि फलं पुरुषसत्तम
One who acts according to his nature and attains a result without any apparent cause—know, O best of men, that this fruit arises from his own nature.
एवं हठाच्च दैवाच्च स्वभावात्कर्मणस्तथा। यानि प्राप्नोति पुरुषस्तत्फलं पूर्वकर्मणाम्
Thus, whether by force, by destiny, by nature, or by action, whatever a person attains is the fruit of previous deeds.