Chapter 18

Shloka 18.48 “One should not abandon the duty born of one’s nature, O Kaunteya, even if it has faults; all undertakings are clouded by faults as fire by smoke.” Key Teaching: Do not abandon one’s duty, despite faults, as all actions have imperfections. Theme: Guidance, Dharma, Moksha Sannyasa Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga. Description: Krishna […]

Shloka 18.47 “Better is one’s own duty, though imperfect, than another’s duty well performed; doing action ordained by one’s nature, one incurs no sin.” Key Teaching: One’s own duty, even imperfect, is better than another’s duty. Theme: Guidance, Dharma, Moksha Sannyasa Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga. Description: Krishna asserts that one’s own duty, even if

Shloka 18.46 “By worshipping Him from whom all beings arise and by whom all is pervaded, through his own duty, a man attains perfection.” Key Teaching: Duty performed as worship of the divine leads to perfection. Theme: Guidance, Dharma, Moksha Sannyasa Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga. Description: Krishna states that by worshipping the

Shloka 18.45 “Each man, devoted to his own duty, attains perfection; hear now how one devoted to his duty finds perfection.” Key Teaching: Devotion to one’s duty leads to perfection. Theme: Guidance, Dharma, Moksha Sannyasa Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga. Description: Krishna explains that devotion to one’s duty leads to perfection, promising to elaborate how

Shloka 18.44 “Agriculture, cattlerearing, and trade are the duties of Vaishyas, born of their nature; service is the duty of Shudras, born of their nature.” Key Teaching: Vaishyas’ duties include agriculture and trade; Shudras’ duty is service. Theme: Guidance, Dharma, Moksha Sannyasa Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga. Description: Krishna states that Vaishyas’ duties involve agriculture,

Shloka 18.43 “Prowess, splendor, firmness, dexterity, not fleeing from battle, generosity, and leadership are the duties of Kshatriyas, born of their nature.” Key Teaching: Kshatriyas’ duties include prowess, leadership, and courage. Theme: Guidance, Dharma, Moksha Sannyasa Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga. Description: Krishna lists Kshatriyas’ duties as prowess, splendor, firmness, dexterity, not fleeing from battle,

Shloka 18.40 “There is no being on earth, or among the gods in heaven, free from these three gunas born of Prakriti.” Key Teaching: No being is free from the three gunas of Prakriti. Theme: Guidance, Dharma, Moksha Sannyasa Yoga, Jnana Yoga. Description: Krishna states that no being on earth or among the gods is

Shloka 18.39 “That happiness which deludes the self at first and in the end, arising from sleep, laziness, and negligence, is said to be tamasic.” Key Teaching: Tamasic happiness deludes through sleep and negligence. Theme: Guidance, Dharma, Moksha Sannyasa Yoga, Jnana Yoga. Description: Krishna describes tamasic happiness as deluding the self at first and in

Shloka 18.38 “That happiness which arises from contact of senses with objects, like nectar at first but poison in the end, is said to be rajasic.” Key Teaching: Rajasic happiness is initially pleasant but ultimately harmful. Theme: Guidance, Dharma, Moksha Sannyasa Yoga, Jnana Yoga. Description: Krishna describes rajasic happiness as arising from senseobject contact, like

Shloka 18.37 “That happiness which is like poison at first but like nectar in the end, born of selfrealization, is said to be sattvic.” Key Teaching: Sattvic happiness is initially difficult but ultimately liberating. Theme: Guidance, Dharma, Moksha Sannyasa Yoga, Jnana Yoga. Description: Krishna describes sattvic happiness as initially like poison but like nectar in