ABSTRACT
CHAPTER IV Krishna. This deathless Yoga, this deep union, I taught Vivaswata,1 the Lord of L ig h t; Vivaswata to Manu gave it ; he To Ikshwaku; so passed it down the line O f all my royal Rishis. Then, with years,The truth grew dim and perished, noble Prince ! Now once again to thee it is declared-This ancient lore, this mystery supreme-Seeing I find thee votary and friend.Arjuna. Thy birth, dear Lord, was in these later days,And bright Vivaswata’s preceded tim e!How shall I comprehend this thing thou sayest, “ From the beginning it was I who taught ?” Krishna. Manifold the renewals of my birth Have been, Arjuna ! and of thy births, too !But mine I know, and thine thou knowest not,0 Slayer of thy Foes ! Albeit I be Unborn, undying, indestructible,The Lord of all things living; not the less-By Maya, by my magic which I stamp On floating Nature-forms, the primal vast-1 come, and go, and come. When Righteousness Declines, O Bharata ! when WickednessIs strong, I rise, from age to age, and take
Visible shape, and move a man with men, Succouring the good, thrusting the evil back, And setting Virtue on her seat again.Who knows the truth touching my births on earthAnd my divine work, when he quits the flesh Puts on its load no more, falls no more down To earthly birth : to Me he comes, dear Prince ! Many there be who come ! from fear set free, From anger, from desire ; keeping their hearts Fixed upon me-my Faithful-purified By sacred flame of Knowledge. Such as these Mix with my being. Whoso worship me, Them I exalt; but all men everywhere Shall fall into my path; albeit, those souls Which seek reward for works, make sacrifice Now, to the lower gods. I say to thee Here have they their reward. But I am He Made the Four Castes, and portioned them a placeAfter their qualities and gifts. Yea, I Created, the Reposeful; I that live Immortally, made all those mortal births:For works soil not my essence, being works Wrought uninvolved.1 Who knows me acting thusUnchained by action, action binds not him ; And, so perceiving, all those saints of old Worked, seeking for deliverance. Work thou As, in the days gone by, thy fathers did.
