Arjuna spoke: “O Krishna, in one breath You praise the renunciation of action, and in the next You extol the yoga of disciplined, dedicated work. Of these two paths, tell me with absolute clarity: which is truly the better way?” The Blessed Lord said: “Both the complete renunciation of action and the selfless performance of action lead to the supreme good. Yet, of the two, the yoga of dedicated action is far superior to mere renunciation. Consider that person a perpetual renunciant who neither hates nor craves anything. Untouched by the pull of opposites, such a seeker is effortlessly released from all bondage. It is only the immature, never the wise, who speak of the path of knowledge and the path of selfless action as distinct and contradictory. One who is truly established in either achieves the fruit of both. The very heights attained by the contemplatives of knowledge are reached just as surely by the seekers of active devotion; whoever perceives that knowledge and selfless action are ultimately one, sees truly. Indeed, Arjuna, true renunciation is exceedingly difficult to attain without the discipline of selfless action. The silent sage who is grounded in this yoga swiftly reaches Brahman, the Absolute. Such a yogi—purified in heart, master of the mind and senses, perceiving the Self in all living beings—remains untainted even while fully engaged in the world of activity. The knower of truth, centered in harmony, reflects: ‘I do nothing at all.’ Even while seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving, sleeping, and breathing—even while speaking, releasing, grasping, or opening and closing the eyes—such a one understands that it is merely the senses interacting with the objects of the senses. One who dedicates all actions to Brahman, performing every duty without selfish attachment, remains entirely unstained by wrong, just as a lotus leaf is never wetted by the surrounding water. For the purification of the self alone, the yogis act purely with the body, the mind, the intellect, and the senses, having laid aside all clinging. The steadfast soul, letting go of the fruits of action, attains an enduring, unshakable peace; but the undisciplined, driven by craving and clinging to results, remains hopelessly bound. Having renounced all doership in the mind, the self-controlled soul rests in bliss within this physical vessel—the city of nine gates—neither acting nor compelling any other to act. The Lord creates neither the sense of agency, nor the actions of the world, nor the attachment to their fruits; it is inherent nature that plays out its course. The omnipresent Divine takes on neither the sins nor the merits of anyone. Wisdom lies veiled in ignorance, and through this cloud of unknowing, living beings are led astray. Yet, for those whose ignorance has been dispelled by knowledge of the Self, that wisdom shines forth like a brilliant sun, laying bare the supreme reality of Brahman. With their intellect absorbed in That, their whole being dissolved in That, grounded firmly in That, and holding That as their final refuge, they advance toward the state from which there is no return, their afflictions washed clean by knowledge. The truly wise look with an equal eye upon an accomplished and humble scholar, a gentle cow, a mighty elephant, a common dog, and even an outcast. Even here in this mortal world, rebirth is conquered by those whose minds abide in complete equanimity. Because Brahman is utterly flawless and eternally impartial, those who embody this equality are already established in Brahman. Resting in the Absolute, with an unwavering intellect freed from delusion, the knower of Brahman neither exults when pleasant things arrive nor grieves when unpleasant things occur. Unattached to external contacts, the sage finds within the Self an inexhaustible spring of joy; united with Brahman through yoga, such a person tastes bliss that never fades. For the pleasures born of sensory contact are nothing but the wombs of suffering; they have a beginning and an end, Arjuna, and the wise never seek delight in them. Whoever is able, here in this very life before casting off the body, to withstand the surging tides born of desire and anger—that person is a true yogi, that person is truly happy. One who finds happiness within, who finds peace and recreation within, and who is illuminated by the light within—that yogi attains liberation in the Absolute, having become one with Brahman. The seers attain this ultimate freedom when their taints are worn away, their inner doubts severed, their minds disciplined, and their lives joyfully devoted to the welfare of all beings. For the dedicated ascetics who are free from lust and anger, who have subdued their wandering thoughts and awakened to the Self, the absolute peace of Brahman surrounds them on every side, both in this world and the next. Shutting out all external sense impressions, steadying the gaze between the eyebrows, and balancing the incoming and outgoing breaths within the nostrils—the silent contemplative whose senses, mind, and intellect are held in check, who makes liberation the supreme goal, and who is liberated from craving, fear, and wrath, is forever free. Knowing Me as the ultimate receiver of all sacrifices and austerities, the sovereign Lord of all the realms, and the compassionate friend of every living creature, the seeker enters at last into everlasting peace.”