Ganesha Gita

After having produced the social classes, I first explained the sacrifices, dear King. One should continually perpetuate the sacrifices as they satisfy all desires like the wish-fulfilling tree. You must act to please the gods and they will in return please you. By pleasing each other you will permanently obtain the highest goal. The chosen gods, when well satiated, will give to you your desired corporeal enjoyments. A man who consumes what has been given by the gods, without offering back to them, is a verily a thief. Those who eat the remains of what has been offered as a sacrifice will be freed from all reactions. Those who cook for themselves without offering back to the gods eat selfishly. Beings arise from food. The origin of food is from the gods and the origin of the gods is from the prescribed sacrifices. The prescriptions originate from Brahma and Brahma originates from Me. Hence, Protector of the earth, know that I am present in all sacrifices.

Those who are intelligent will easily cross the ocean of material existence. But the ignorant man who dallies with the senses and happily enjoys them will not. The man who is delighted with the inner self, who rejoices in the self, who enjoys everything, who is satisfied with the self, has no materials desires at all.

He does not acquire the good and evil (results) of those who do what should and should not be done. Amongst all men he really accomplishes nothing at all.

Therefore, with an attitude of non-attachment, Protector of the Earth, men should undertake action in non-action. One who is attached to the results of his actions, does not obtain the path, but such a man never obtains Me. Previously, sages who were kings and brahmins obtained the highest perfection. So one should undertake such activity for the benefit of all the worlds. Because the prosperous person engages in action, so should every man. Since he considers that the standard, therefore he also should follow that. In the world there is no goal at all that is to be accomplished by Me, Overlord of men. Though I do not need anything that should be gained, I too engage in action. But if, individualistic and prompted by laziness, I do not engage in action, all the social classes will follow my example, Oh intelligent King. Then that world will fall in ruination. I will become known as the destroyer of that world and the cause of collapse of the social classes.

Those who have material desires always perform action ignorantly through desire. The wise man, his mind detached, will act for the benefit of all the worlds. One should not associate with ignorant materialists. Absorbed in yoga, one who engages in action should offer all the results to Me.

Absorbed in ignorance with lust, anger and greed as his companions, a person performs actions tirelessly. His intellect contaminated by the ego, he has said, ‘I am the doer.’

But he who knows the truth of the self, and has conquered his senses and action, is detached, thinking, ‘Action has occurred in the field of the senses.’

Those who are infatuated by the senses perform action for a result. The person who has realized the self should not associate with those who are unreceptive towards their own self and who are lacking in faith. Accordingly, the wise man should offer the continual and occasional results of sacrifice to Me. After giving up the idea of “I” and “mine”, he will obtain My Supreme Abode.

All those without envy who possess devotion and practice righteous activity, as I have described, are liberated through all their actions. But those whose minds are dominated by what is inauspicious and do not practice this, know these envious, foolish, ruined people, to be my enemies. In like manner a person who has knowledge engages in activity due to the influence of cosmic nature. However, one who stubbornly engages in activity selfishly is considered to do so in vain.

Desire and anger originate in the objects of the senses, but those in knowledge do not work under the influence of either, since they destroy him.

One’s own dharma whether it is done imperfectly is better than the perfect duty of another. When one stays within one’s own duty then liberation is awarded at death. The other produces fear in the other world.’

Varenya said, ‘When a man commits evil acts, by what is he urged, even against his own will? Though he may not wish it, Heramba, he is impelled on as if by force.’

The illustrious Gajanana said, ‘Anger and desire are huge evils which arise from two of the cosmic strands – passion and ignorance. Both cause bondage in the world. Know them both to be the worst enemies. Just as illusion covers the world, just as steam covers water, just as a rain cloud covers the sun, so do desire and anger cover everything. The intuitive knowledge of one who is in illusion is always covered by hatred, itself filled with desire, energetic, difficult to nourish and impetuous. He exists with the mind and the intellect depending on the pull of the senses. When wisdom is covered by anger and desire, it confuses the person who would otherwise possess intuitive knowledge.

Hence, after first restraining the senses, a man conquers his mind. Evil arises from the mind and brings an end to intuitive and discriminating knowledge. The senses are superior to the intelligence, yet the mind is superior to that. The intellect is superior to the mind and the self is superior to the intellect. After understanding the self by the self and having steadied the self by the self, and after slaying the enemy which takes the form of desire, he attains the highest peace.”

Om. This is the truth. This is called ‘The Yoga of Action’. It is the second chapter in the conversation between Ganesha and Varenya in the Uttarakhanda of the illustrious and great Ganesha Purana in the learned treatise on the immortality of yoga, in the illustrious Ganesha Gita which is in the essence of the Upanisads.