Letting go to a higher power
True surrender is not weakness but the ultimate strength. Release control and trust the divine.
Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraja, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo mokshayishyami ma shuchah
Abandon all varieties of dharmas and simply surrender unto Me alone. I shall liberate you from all sinful reactions; do not fear.
Yat karoshi yad ashnasi yaj juhoshi dadasi yat, yat tapasyasi kaunteya tat kurusva mad-arpanam
Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer, whatever you give, whatever austerity you perform—do that as an offering to Me.
Shubhashubha-phalair evam mokshyase karma-bandhanais, sannyasa-yoga-yuktatma vimukto mam upaisyasi
In this way, you shall be freed from the bondage of actions and their good and evil results. With your mind fixed on renunciation and yoga, you shall come to Me. Dedicating all actions to God through yoga of renunciation dissolves karmic bondage and leads to union with the Supreme.
Ye tu sarvani karmani mayi sannyasya mat-parah, ananyenaiva yogena mam dhyayanta upasate
But those who worship Me, surrendering all their activities to Me and devoted to Me without deviation, meditating on Me with exclusive yoga...
Tesham aham samuddharta mrityu-samsara-sagarat, bhavami na chirat partha mayy aveshita-chetasam
For those whose minds are set on Me, I am soon the deliverer from the ocean of death and transmigration, O Partha.
cetasa sarva-karmani mayi sannyasya mat-parah buddhi-yogam upasritya mac-cittah satatam bhava
Mentally renouncing all actions in me, regarding me as the supreme goal, resorting to buddhi yoga, fix your consciousness on me always. Krishna integrates surrendered action with the yoga of intellect and sustained God-consciousness.
Tam eva śharaṇaṁ gachchha sarva-bhāvena bhārata, tat-prasādāt parāṁ śhāntim sthānaṁ prāpsyasi śhāśhvatam
Surrender exclusively unto Him with your whole being, O Bharata. By His grace, you will attain supreme peace and the eternal abode.
Mayi sarvani karmani sannyasyadhyatma-cetasa, nirashir nirmamo bhutva yudhyasva vigata-jvarah
Therefore, surrendering all your works unto Me, with mind intent on the self, free from desire and possessiveness, and cured of mental fever, fight.
Brahmany adhaya karmani sangam tyaktva karoti yah, lipyate na sa papena padma-patram ivambhasa
One who performs their duty without attachment, surrendering the results to the Supreme, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water.
Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru, mam evaisyasi yuktvaivam atmanam mat-parayanah
Always think of Me, be devoted to Me, worship Me, and bow down to Me. Uniting yourself with Me in this way, with Me as your supreme goal, you will certainly come to Me.
Mat-karma-kṛin mat-paramo mad-bhaktaḥ saṅga-varjitaḥ, nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣhu yaḥ sa mām eti pāṇḍava
O Pandava, one who performs My work, considers Me as the supreme, is devoted to Me, is free from attachment, and is without enmity toward any being — such a person comes to Me.
Abhyāse 'py asamartho 'si mat-karma-paramo bhava, mad-artham api karmāṇi kurvan siddhim avāpsyasi
If you are unable even to practice, be devoted to performing actions for My sake. By doing actions for My sake, you will attain perfection.
yatah pravrittir bhutanam yena sarvam idam tatam sva-karmana tam abhyarcya siddhim vindati manavah
By worshipping through one's own duty the One from whom all beings arise and by whom all this is pervaded, a person finds perfection. Every form of work becomes worship when offered to the Supreme who pervades all existence.
Mac-chittah sarva-durgani mat-prasadat tarishyasi, atha cet tvam ahankaran na shroshyasi vinankshyasi
If you become conscious of Me, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditioned life by My grace. But if you do not work in such consciousness, but act through ego, you will be lost.
Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru, mam evaisyasi satyam te pratijane priyo 'si me
Always think of Me, be devoted to Me, worship Me, and offer obeisance to Me. Doing so, you will certainly come to Me. This is My pledge to you, for you are My dear friend.
Daivi hy esha guna-mayi mama maya duratyaya, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te
This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who surrender unto Me can easily cross beyond it.
Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate, vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhah
After many births and deaths, one with true knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.
Tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu mām anusmara yudhya ca, mayy arpita-mano-buddhir mām evaiṣyasy asanśayaḥ
Therefore, remember Me at all times and fight. With mind and intellect surrendered to Me, you will certainly attain Me.
Ananya-chintayanto mam ye janah paryupasate, tesham nityabhiyuktanam yoga-kshemam vahamy aham
To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.
Mayy eva mana ādhatsva mayi buddhiṁ niveśhaya, nivasiṣhyasi mayy eva ata ūrdhvaṁ na sanśhayaḥ
Fix your mind on Me alone and let your intellect dwell upon Me. Thereafter, you shall certainly live in Me. Of this, there is no doubt.
Read slowly and contemplate. Don't rush through these verses. Pick one that resonates and sit with it for a few minutes.
Return regularly. Ancient wisdom reveals itself gradually. Come back to these verses when you need them.
Apply to your situation. Consider how each teaching relates specifically to what you're experiencing right now.
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