Guided reading · 7 verses
Anxiety and a Steady Mind
Seven verses on responding to uncertainty and pressure with steadier action.
Start with BG 2.14
14
BG 2.14
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः | आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत ||२-१४||
Kunti's son, the contacts of the senses with their objects bring cold and heat, pleasure and pain. They come and go and are impermanent; endure them, descendant of Bharata.
47
BG 2.47
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन | मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ||२-४७||
Your responsibility is for action alone, never for its fruits. Do not make the fruits of action your motive, and do not become attached to inaction.
48
BG 2.48
योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनञ्जय | सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः समो भूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते ||२-४८||
Act while grounded in yoga, Dhananjaya, giving up attachment and remaining even in success and failure. This evenness is called yoga.
50
BG 2.50
बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते | तस्माद्योगाय युज्यस्व योगः कर्मसु कौशलम् ||२-५०||
One joined with understanding leaves behind both good and bad results here. Therefore devote yourself to yoga: yoga is skill in action.
56
BG 2.56
दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः | वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते ||२-५६||
A sage whose mind is unshaken by suffering, who does not crave pleasures, and who is free from attachment, fear, and anger is called steady in understanding.
5
BG 6.5
उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् | आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ||६-५||
One should lift oneself through oneself, and not let oneself sink. The self is one's own friend, and the self is one's own enemy.
66
BG 18.66
सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज | अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः ||१८-६६||
Abandon all duties and take refuge in me alone. I will free you from all wrongdoing; do not grieve.