Chapter LVII - On abandonment of desire and its result of tranquillity

Argument:—The final lecture to Arjuna on the Peace of mind resulting from its want of desire.

The lord said:—

1. [Sanskrit available]
Look here, O Arjuna! The great wonder which is manifest in this subject; it is the appearance of the picture, prior to that of the plane of the plan upon which it is drawn. (The appearance of the mind or painting, before that of Viraj or the spirit of God which exhibits the painting. Gloss).

2. [Sanskrit available]
The prominence of the painting and the non-appearance of its basis, must be as wonderous as the buoyancy of a block of stone, and the sinking down of gourd shell as is shown in a magic play.

3. [Sanskrit available]
The Universe resting in the vacuity of the Divine spirit, appears as a picture on the tablet of the mind; say then how does this egoism or self knowledge of your substantiality, arise from the bosom of the vacuous nullity. (i.e. How can substantial spring from the unsubstantial, or some thing come out of nothing).

4. [Sanskrit available]
All these being the vacant production of vacuum, are swallowed up likewise in the vacuous womb of an infinite vacuity; they are no more than hollow shadows of emptiness, and stretched out in empty air.

5. [Sanskrit available]
This empty air is spread over with the snare of our desires, stretching as wide as the sphere of these outstretched worlds; it is the band of our desire that encircles the worlds as their great belt.

6. [Sanskrit available]
The world is situated in Brahma as a reflection in the mirror, and is not subject to partition or obliteration; owing to its inherence in its receptacle, and its identity with the same.

7. [Sanskrit available]
The indissoluble vacuum being the nature of Brahma, is inseparable from his essence; for nobody is ever able to divide the empty air in twain or remove it from its place.

8. [Sanskrit available]
It is owing to your ignorance of this, that your concupiscence has become congenial with your nature; which it is hard for it to get rid of, notwithstanding its being fraught with every virtue.

9. [Sanskrit available]
He who has sown the smallest seed of desire in the soul of his heart, is confined as a lion in the cage, though he may be very wise and learned in all things.

10. [Sanskrit available]
The desire which is habitual to one, grows as rank as a thick wood in his breast; unless it is burnt away in the seed by the knowledge of truth, when it cannot vegetate any more.

11. [Sanskrit available]
This mind is no more inclined to any thing, who has burnt away the seed of his desire at once; he remains untouched by pleasure and pain, like the lotus-leaf amidst the water.

12. [Sanskrit available]
Now therefore, O Arjuna! do you remain calm and quiet in your spirit, be undaunted and devoid of all desire in your mind;melt down the mist of your mental delusion by the heat of your nirvana devotion, and from all that you have learnt from my holy lecture to you, remain in perfect tranquillity with your reliance in the Supreme spirit.