The Blessed Lord said: I first revealed this imperishable Yoga to Vivasvan; Vivasvan taught it to Manu; Manu declared it to Ikshvaku. This supreme science(Yoga) was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.

It is that same ancient Yoga which I now reveal to you, as you are My devotee and My friend; You should hence behold transcendental mystery of this science, The Yoga.

Arjuna said: Your birth was recent, and the birth of Vivasvan long ago. How then am I to understand that you taught it in the beginning?

The Blessed Lord said: The Blessed Lord said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. [Difference is that] All those I know well but you know them not.

Although I am birthsless, imperrishable and immutable and the lord of all living beings, yet by subduing my nature, I appear in this world in My original transcendental form by my divine potency.

O descendant of bharat(Arjuna)! Whenever there is a decline of Dharma(perennial principles or righteousness and surge in Adharma (unrighteousness), at that time, I manifest Myself [in mortal form].

For the protection of the noble, and to annihilate the wrongdoers and to re-establish Dharma(Perennial principles or righteousness), I manifest Myself (Incarnate in mortal form), era after era.

Whosoever thus knows in truth transcendental nature of My appearance and activities O Arjuna, is not reborn again, and after leaving the body attains my eternal abode.

Freed from desire, fear and anger, fully absorbed in Me, taking refuge in Me, purified by the austerity of knowledge, many in past have attained My state.

All, who in whatever way worship me, I reward them accordingly as all men ultimately follows my path in all respects, O son of parth(Arjuna).

Men in this world desire success in fruitive activities, and therefore they worship the eities(Devatas). Quickly, of course, men get results from fruitive work in this world.

According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.

Actions do not taint Me, nor do I have a desire for the fruits of actions. One who understands Me thus, is not entangled in the fruitive reactions of work. All the liberated souls in ancient times acted with this understanding and so attained liberation. Therefore, as the ancients, you should perform your duty in this divine consciousness.

Even the intelligent are bewildered in determining what is action and what is inaction. Now I shall explain to you what action is, knowing which you shall be liberated from all sins. The intricacies of action are very hard to understand. Therefore one should know properly what action is, what forbidden action is, and what inaction is.

He who perceives Action in non-Action, and non-Action in Action, he, verily, is the intelligent among men. He is indeed in communion, being accomplished in Action. He whose all activities are devoid of desires and whose actions are burned by the fire of wisdom, him the wise call a man of intelligence(sage).

Having renounced attachment to the fruits of one’s actions, ever contented with the eternal (Self), and dependent on none, one does not verily act, even though engaged in activities. Such a man of understanding acts with mind and intelligence perfectly controlled, gives up all sense of proprietorship over his possessions and acts only for the bare necessities of life. Thus working, he is not affected by sinful reactions.

He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady both in success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions.

The Karma of one who is free from attachments, who is liberated, whose mind is established in wisdom, who acts only for sacrifice, is entirely dissolved.

Brahman is the instrument, Brahman is the oblation; by Brahman is the oblation offered into the fire of Brahman; Brahman alone is to be reached by one who meditates on Brahman in one's works.

Some yogis perfectly worship the deities by offering different sacrifices to them. Some other offer self as sacrifice by sacrifice of ones conduct and behavior in the fire of Supreme. Others offer hearing and the other senses into the fires of restraint. Others offer as oblations the objects of the senses, such as sound and the rest, into the fires of their senses.

Some other offer as oblation the functions of the senses and the activity of the vital energy (prāṇa) into the fire of the Yoga of restraint of the mind kindled by knowledge.

Others again offer material objects, Tapas and Yoga as sacrifice, while others being self restrained and of rigid vows offer their scriptural study and knowledge as sacrifice

And there are even others who are inclined to the process of breath restraint to remain in trance, and they practice stopping the movement of the outgoing breath into the incoming, and incoming breath into the outgoing, and thus at last remain in trance, stopping all breathing. Some of them, curtailing the eating process, offer the outgoing breath into itself, as a sacrifice.

All these performers who know the meaning of sacrifice become cleansed of sinful reaction, and, having tasted the nectar of the remnants of such sacrifice(yajna), they attain the supreme state of bramhan.

O best of the Kuru dynasty, without sacrifice (Yajna) one can never live happily on this planet or in this life: what then of the next?

All these different types of sacrifice are approved by the Vedas, and all of them are born of different types of work. Knowing them as such, you will become liberated.

The sacrifice(Yajna) of wisdom is superior to material sacrifice(Yajna), O Parantapa (Arjuna), after all actions and everything else culminate in wisdom itself.

Try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.

Knowing which you, O Pandava, will never again be deluded in this manner. For by this you shall perceive all the beings in Self and them in Me.

Even if among all the de-meritorious ones you are the worst, you will cross over the demerits by this raft of Wisdom. As the blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.

Verily, there is no purifier in this world equal to knowledge; one that is perfected in Karma Yoga with awareness discovers this (knowledge) spontaneously, in oneself in due time.

One who has faith [in me], who is receptive [towards knowledge], and who has controlled the senses, attains enlightenment. Having attained enlightenment, he obtains Supreme Peace.

But ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed scriptures do not attain God consciousness. For the doubting soul there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next.

Therefore, one who has renounced the fruits of his action, whose doubts are destroyed by transcendental knowledge, and who is situated firmly in the self, is not bound by works, O conqueror of riches.

Therefore, with the sword of knowledge, cut asunder this doubt present in your heart, arising from ignorance. Armed with Yoga [the surrender unto God], O Bharata (Arjuna), Arise and perform your duty [of soldier to fight].