About sacrificing and the importance of knowledge
(1) The Supreme Lord said: 'This imperishable yoga I instructed to the sun-god [Vivasvân] who told it to the father of mankind [Vaivasvata Manu] who in his turn said it to Ikshvâku [founder of the dynasty where Râma descended in]. (2) Thus one following the other, the saintly kings received this science understanding it that way but in the course of time in this world this great way of connecting oneself was scattered, oh subduer of the enemies. (3) This very same very old science of yoga today is spoken by Me to you as you are My devotee and friend as well and thus factually [you can come to understand] the mystery of this transcendence.'(4) Arjuna said: 'Your birth came after the one before of Vivasvân. How must I understand Your instructing in the beginning thus?'(5) The Supreme Lord said: 'Many births of Mine and also of you have passed, oh Arjuna, I know them all but you do not, oh subduer of the enemy. (6) Despite of being unborn by nature, the imperishable soul and the Lord of all living beings, I, although situated in transcendence, out of My own do incarnate as the [deluding] covering of My own Self. (7) Whenever and wherever it is sure that one weakens in righteousness and a predominance of injustice does manifest, oh descendant of Bharata, at that time I do manifest Myself. (8) To liberate the seekers of truth, to take the power away from the wicked ones and to re-establish the way of the human principles, I do appear age after age. (9) Anyone who knows as such of My divine birth(s) and activities will never, after leaving his body, take birth again, but will attain Me, oh Arjuna.(10) Freed from attachment, fear and anger in the full awareness of Me, many who were purified in the knowledge of penance, have attained My transcendental love. (11) All who surrender themselves to Me I surely award My path [of glory] that is followed by all men, oh son of Prithâ, in all respects. (12) Desiring the perfect of the profit they worship the gods here and certainly in the worldly society success will quickly ensue of that fruitive labor. (13) Of the four vocations [of labor, trading, ruling and guiding] accomplished by Me according to the qualities [of goodness, passion and slowness] and the divisions of labor [according to the status of youngsters, married, withdrawn and retired people and their level of transcendence] I am the Father, although you may know Me as the nondoer and unchangeable. (14) Doing work does not affect Me as I do not aspire the fruits thereof. Therefore one who knows Me will, of labor, never become entangled. (15) Knowing this the ancients who attained liberation surely knew to keep to their duty and therefore you should act the way your predecessors did in the past.(16) What is action and what is inaction? Even the intelligent are in illusion about this matter. That I will now explain to you and knowing it you will be liberated from ill fortune. (17) Working in desiring the fruits [karma], unwanted work [vikarma] and work as a sacrifice [akarma] should each be considered intelligently as it is difficult to understand the goal of karma. (18) One who sees labor for profit as inactivity and who sees work as a sacrifice as labor is intelligent in human affairs; he, although engaged in all sorts of action is of the transcendental. (19) The karma of him who of determination tries with everything without desiring, is burned up by the fire of knowledge, the learned declare who know about this. (20) He who has given up to work for the attachment to the fruits, is always satisfied and free from clinging to his home. He does, although fully active, not really do anything. (21) Not desiring, controlled in his conscious self and giving up all claims of property he keeps himself together by doing work only, without ever running into the reactions of sin. (22) Satisfied with gain coming on its own accord, free from the duality and envy and steady in success and failure, he, although of action, never becomes entangled. (23) With the attachment gone, being liberated and with the mind to the transcendent in the wisdom of acting in sacrifice, the complete of karma dissolves.(24) The sacrifice itself, that which is offered in the fire of sacrifice and he who is of sacrifice are of the same spiritual nature; he will certainly attain the spirit of the Absolute [Brahman] who is completely absorbed in working for the spiritual. (25) Some worship the godly in this while other followers of the path of yoga perfectly offer in sacrifice to the fire of the spiritual itself. (26) Some sacrifice by the hearing process to the senses in contemplating sound vibrations [like mantras] in the fire, while others offer their sense gratification relating to material objects [like food] in the fire. (27) Still others in need of self-realization too, offer in the fire of sacrifice of all functions of the senses, their unregulated breath in the self-restraint of yoga. (28) Some sacrifice their possessions, in austerity and yoga thus while even others as ascetics having taken to strict vows, sacrifice their knowledge in also studying the Vedas. (29) Offering the inward breath to the one going outward and the outward breath to the one going inward also others are in effort to attain to cessation by [merely] following the inward and outward going air while still others sacrifice the inhaled air into itself in controlling their eating. (30) Although differing, all the ones knowing of sacrifice are purified from the reactions of their darkness and having tasted the nectar as a result of those sacrifices, they reach the spirit of the eternal. (31) When this world is not for the one without sacrifice, then what [to expect] of the next, oh best of the Kurus? (32) Thus the different types of sacrifices are defended by mouth of the Vedas. You must see them all as the result of karma and knowing thus you will find liberation.(33) Greater than the sacrifice of material things is the sacrifice of knowledge, oh chastiser of the enemy; all this karma in sum, oh son of Prithâ, finds its end in knowledge. (34) Try to understand that by exercising respect, inquiring submissively and rendering service to the ones who know, as they will initiate you into the truth of the seers. (35) Knowing it so you will never fall victim to illusion again as from this you will, oh son of Prithâ, go for the vision of the soul of all living beings, that is in Me. (36) Even if you are the greatest of all sinners you will, with this boat of transcendental knowledge, cross the ocean of all this misery. (37) Like firewood ablaze with fire turns to ashes, oh Arjuna, so the fire of knowledge turns all of your karma to ashes. (38) Surely there exists nothing of knowledge in this world that can compare to this purification and he who is mature in his own yoga will enjoy that in due course of time within himself. (39) A man of faith can attain keeping close to the knowledge in the control of his senses as of that knowledge having achieved the transcendental abode he very soon attains to peace. (40) But not knowing and also without belief a person of doubts has no taste for it; never in this world nor in the beyond there will be happiness for such a doubtful soul. (41) One who by yoga renounced materially motivated work and by means of knowledge broke with the doubt is situated in the soul and will never be bound by his work, oh conqueror of riches. (42) Therefore this doubt that out of ignorance was born in your heart, must be cut by means of the weapon of the knowledge of the soul; be situated in that yoga and rise to fight, oh descendant of Bharata!'