He alone sees truly who sees the Lord the same in every creature… seeing the same Lord everywhere, he does not harm himself or others.

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुण: परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् |
स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेय: परधर्मो भयावह: || Bhagavad Gita C3V35

“It is far better to perform one’s natural prescribed duty, though tinged with faults, than to perform another’s prescribed duty, however perfect it may. In fact, it is preferable to die in the discharge of one’s duty, than to follow the path of another, which is filled with danger.”

No one should abandon duties because he sees defects (or defeats) in them. Every action, every activity, is surrounded by defects as a fire is surrounded by smoke.

Those who have conquered themselves… live in peace, alike in cold and heat, pleasure and pain, praise and blame…To such people a clod of dirt, a stone, and gold are the same… Because they are impartial, they rise to great heights.

The awakened sages call a person wise when all his undertakings are free from anxiety about results.

The demonic do things they should avoid and avoid the things they should do… Hypocritical, proud, and arrogant, living in delusion and clinging to their deluded ideas, insatiable in their desires, they pursue unclean ends… Bound on all sides by scheming and anxiety, driven by anger and greed, they amass by any means they can a hoard of money for the satisfaction of their cravings… Self-important, obstinate, swept away by the pride of wealth, they ostentatiously perform sacrifices without any regard for their purpose. Egotistical, violent, arrogant, lustful, angry, envious of everyone, they abuse my presence within their own bodies and in the bodies of others

Abandon all attachment to the results of action and attain supreme peace.

Those who eat too much or eat too little, who sleep too much or sleep too little, will not succeed in meditation. But those who are temperate in eating and sleeping, work and recreation, will come to the end of sorrow through meditation.

When meditation is mastered, the mind is unwavering, like the flame of a lamp in a windless place.

When a person is devoted to something with complete faith, I unify his faith in that. Then, when his faith his completely unified, he gains the object of his devotion.

On this path effort never goes to waste, and there is no failure. Even a little effort toward spiritual awareness will protect you from the greatest fear.

Strive constantly to serve the welfare of the world; by devotion to selfless work one attains the supreme goal of life. Do your work with the welfare of others always in mind.

Bhagavad Gita / भगवद्गीता Quotes on Life and Death
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The states of sattva, rajas, and tamas come from me, but I am not in them. The three guna make up my divine maya, difficult to overcome. But they cross over this maya who take refuge in me.

Some come to the spiritual life because of suffering, some in order to understand life; some come through a desire to achieve life’s purpose, and some come who are men and women of wisdom. Unwavering in devotion, always united with me, the man or woman of wisdom surpasses all the others.

After many births the wise seek refuge in me, seeing me everywhere and in everything. Such great souls are very rare.

The world, deluded, does not know that I am without birth and changeless. I know everything about the past, the present, and the future, Arjuna; but there is no one who knows me completely.

Delusion arises from the duality of attraction and aversion, Arjuna; every creature is deluded by these from birth.

Those who see me ruling the cosmos, who see me in the adhibhuta, the adhidaiva, and the adhiyajna, are conscious of me even at the time of death.

The Lord is the supreme poet, the first cause, the sovereign ruler, subtler than the tiniest particle, the support of all, inconceivable, bright as the sun, beyond darkness.

Remembering me at the time of death, close down the doors of the senses and place the mind in the heart. Then, while absorbed in meditation, focus all energy upwards to the head. Repeating in this state the divine name, the syllable Om that represents the changeless Brahman, you will go forth from the body and attain the supreme goal.

Bhagavad Gita is essential reading for understanding Yog, and indeed of life itself. The Gita speaks to people everywhere – across oceans, across time, and across boundaries of language, religion, and culture.

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