The Hierarchy

इन्द्रियाणि पराण्याहुः इन्द्रियेभ्यः परं मनः।
मनस्तु परा बुद्धिः यो बेद्धुः पर्तस्तु सः॥

 

indriyāṇi parāṇyāhuḥ indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ |
manastu parā buddhiḥ yo beddhuḥ partastu saḥ ||

 

The sages say that the senses are great; greater than senses is mind; greater than mind is reason ; but what is greater than reason, is HE (The supreme) .

 

Purport: God is mightier than and superior to reason so try to understand him and let him rule the reason and Ego and thus control the selfish desire.

I want to learn these:

The Matter and the spirit.

The Field and the knower of the field.

Knowledge and that which ought to be known.

 

This is dealt with in the last six chapters starting with the Thirteenth.

Magic of Eight Aksharas

 

श्री कृष्ण शरणं ममः

śrī kṛṣṇa śaraṇaṁ mamaḥ

 

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
श्री	कृ	ष्ण	श	र	णं	म	मः

 

त्राहि माम कृपा कृष्णं शरणागत आतुरम्

trāhi māma kṛpā kṛṣṇaṁ śaraṇāgata āturam

This is 8+8

And Gandhi went to Rama

अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन् मुक्त्वा कलेवरम्
antakāle ca māmeva smaran muktvā kalevaram

यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः
yaḥ prayāti sa madbhāvaṁ yāti nāstyatra saṁśayaḥ

 

And he who, casting off the body, goeth forth thinking upon Me only at the time of the end, he entereth into My being; there is no doubt of that .(English Transl- Bhagwan Das/An.Bes)

Gandhi was a great devotee of Srimad Bhagvad Gita and died with  हे राम !! (he rāma ) on his lips

Krishna- I am the Supreme spirit.

यस्मातक्षरमतीतोऽहमक्षरादपि चोत्तमः।
अतोऽस्मि लोके वेदे च प्रथितः पुरुषोत्तमः॥

yasmātakṣaramatīto'hamakṣarādapi cottamaḥ |
ato'smi loke vede ca prathitaḥ puruṣottamaḥ ||

 Since I transcend the destructible, and am higher also than the indestructible, therefore in the world and in the Veda I am proclaimed the Supreme Spirit.

Meditation

स्पर्शान्कृत्वा बहिर्बाह्यांश्चक्षुश्चैवान्तरे भ्रुवोः।
प्राणापानौ समौ कृत्वा नासाभ्यन्तरचारिणौ।।5.27।।

sparśānkṛtvā bahirbāhyāṅścakṣuścaivāntarē bhruvōḥ.
prāṇāpānau samau kṛtvā nāsābhyantaracāriṇau..5.27..

Having,excluded external contacts and with gaze fixed between eyebrows; having made equal the outgoing and ingoing breaths moving between the nostrils.

(Normally, we breathe in for 1 sec and breathe out for 3-4 secs.)

यतेन्द्रियमनोबुद्धिर्मुनिर्मोक्षपरायणः।
विगतेच्छाभयक्रोधो यः सदा मुक्त एव सः।।5.28।।

yatēndriyamanōbuddhirmunirmōkṣaparāyaṇaḥ.
vigatēcchābhayakrōdhō yaḥ sadā mukta ēva saḥ..5.28..

With senses,mind,and reason ever controlled, solely pursuing liberation, the sage, having forever cast away desire, fear and passion, verily is liberated.

(English translation from -The Bhagvad Gita- Annie Besant and Bhagvan Das)

Wisdom on the internet

I was on Gita Supersite beta 2.0 and found out that:
Sloka 9:22 has been replaced by 7:24

Swami Sivanand gives a very interesting explanation of 7:24

अनन्याश्चिन्त्यन्तो माम ये जनाः पर्युपासते।
तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमंवहाम्यहं॥

ananyāścintyanto māma ye janāḥ paryupāsate|
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yogakṣemaṁvahāmyahaṁ||

  


English Translation - Swami Sivananda
9.22 For those men who worship Me alone, thinking of no other, for those ever-united, I secure what is not already possessed and preserve what they already possess.

अव्यक्तं व्यक्तिमापन्नं मन्यन्ते माम्बुद्धयः।
परं भावमजानन्तो ममाव्ययमनुत्तमम् ॥

avyaktaṁ vyaktimāpannaṁ manyante māmbuddhayaḥ |
paraṁ bhāvamajānanto mamāvyayamanuttamam  ||

English commentary by Swami Sivananda

7.24
अव्यक्तम् the unmanifested,
व्यक्तिम् to manifestation,
आपन्नम् come to,
मन्यन्ते think,
माम् Me,
अबुद्धयः the foolish,
परम् the highest,
भावम् nature,
अजानन्तः not knowing,
मम My,
अव्ययम् immutable,
अनुत्तमम् most excellent.

Commentary: The ignorant take Lord Krishna as a common mortal. They think that He has taken a body like ordinary human beings from the unmanifested state on account of the force of Karma of the previous birth. They have no knowledge of His higher, imperishable and self-luminous nature as the Highest Self. They think that He has just now come into manifestation, though He is self-existent, eternal, beginningless, endless, birthless, deathless, changeless, infinite and unmanifest.

All paths lead to me

All paths lead to me but you get me in the form you worship me, and get what you are looking for.

4:11

ये यथा मां प्रपद्यन्ते तांस्तथैव भजाम्यहम्।

मम वर्त्मानुवर्तन्ते मनुष्याः पार्थ सर्वशः।।4.11।।

yē yathā māṅ prapadyantē tāṅstathaiva bhajāmyaham.

mama vartmānuvartantē manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ..4.11..

English translation by Swami Gambhirananda

4.11 According to the manner in which they approach Me, I favour them in that very manner. O son of Partha, human beings follow My path in every way.


As they approach me, So I receive them . All paths lead to me.(Easwaran)

English commentary by Swami Sivananda 4.11

ये who,
यथा in whatever way,
माम् Me,
प्रपद्यन्ते approach,
तान् them,
तथा so,
एव even,
भजामि reward,
अहम् I,
मम My,
वर्त्म path,
अनुवर्तन्ते follow,
मनुष्याः men,
पार्थ O Partha,
सर्वशः in all ways.

Commentary: I reward men by bestowing on them the objects they desire in accordance with their ways and the motives with which they seek Me. If anyone worships Me with selfish motives I grant him the objects he desires. If he worships Me unselfishly for attaining knowledge of the Self, I grant him Moksha or final liberation. I am not at all partial to anyone. (Cf.VII.21andIX.23).

यो यो यां यां तनुं भक्तः श्रद्धयार्चितुमिच्छति।

तस्य तस्याचलां श्रद्धां तामेव विदधाम्यहम्।।7.21।।

English translation by Swami Gambhirananda
7.21 Whichever form (of a deity) any devotee wants to worship with faith, that very firm faith of his I strengthen.


English commentary by Swami Sivananda
7.21 यः who, यः who, याम् which, याम् which, तनुम् form, भक्तः devotee, श्रद्धया with faith, अर्चितुम् to worship, इच्छति desires, तस्य तस्य of him, अचलाम् unflinching, श्रद्धाम् faith, ताम् that, एव surely, विदधामि make, अहम् I.Commentary: Tanu or body is used here in the sense of a Devata (god).The Lord, the indweller of all beings, makes the faith of that devotee who worships the lesser divinities, which is born of the Samskaras of his previous birth, steady and unswerving. (Cf.IV.11;IX.22and23)



anjnyjhiwcjntjyjntjo mjhN yje Jjnjh: pjyju[pjhsjtje
tjeQjhN injtyjhiBjyjuKtjhnjhN yjogj~jemjN vjHhmyjHmj] ..9>22..
  
English Translation - Swami Sivananda
9.22 For those men who worship Me alone, thinking of no other, for those ever-united, I secure what is not already possessed and preserve what they already possess.

येऽप्यन्यदेवता भक्ता यजन्ते श्रद्धयाऽन्विताः।
तेऽपि मामेव कौन्तेय यजन्त्यविधिपूर्वकम्।।9.23।।

yē.pyanyadēvatā bhaktā yajantē śraddhayā.nvitāḥ.

tē.pi māmēva kauntēya yajantyavidhipūrvakam..9.23..

English translation by Swami Gambhirananda

9.23 Even those who, being devoted to other deities and endowed with faith, worship (them), they also, O son of Kunti, worship Me alone (though) following the wrong method. 

Who is happy ?

 Earlier in (5:22) Krishna has said that "Pleasures concieved in the world of senses have a beginning and end and give birth to misery (Easwaran).."

and because they have a beginning and an end but are ,in a way, addictive, they have no end till the end(death) .
Sri Sankaracharya's  explanations of desire,anger and implulse and how to identify them are very apt .

शक्नोतीहैव यः सोढुं प्राक्शरीरविमोक्षणात्।
कामक्रोधोद्भवं वेगं स युक्तः स सुखी नरः।।5.23।।

śaknōtīhaiva yaḥ sōḍhuṅ prākśarīravimōkṣaṇāt.

kāmakrōdhōdbhavaṅ vēgaṅ sa yuktaḥ sa sukhī naraḥ..5.23

English translation by Swami Sivananda

5.23 He who is able, while still here (in this world) to withstand, before the liberation from the body, the impulse born out of desire and anger -- he is a Yogi, he is a happy man. 

English translation by Swami Gambhirananda (on Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary) 5.23
yaḥ śaknōtī , one who can, is able to;
sōḍhuṅ, withstand;
iha eva, here itself, while alive;
prāk, before;
śarīravimōkṣaṇāt, departing from the body, till death-. Death is put as a limit because the impulse of desire and anger is certanily inevitable for a living person. For this impulse has got infinite sources. One should not relax until his death. That is the idea.
Kama, desire, is the hankering, thirst, with regard to a coveted object-of an earlier experience, and which is a source of pleasure-when it comes within the range of the senses, or is heard of or remembered.
And krodha, anger, is that repulsion one has against what are adverse to oneself and are sources of sorrow, when they are seen, heard of or remembered. That impulse (vēgaṅ) which has those desire and anger as its source (udbhava) is kāmakrōdhōdbhavaṅ vēgaṅ. The impulse arising from desire is a kind of mental agitation, and has the signs of horripilation, joyful eyes, face, etc. The impulse of anger has the signs of trembling of body, perspiration, bitting of lips, red eyes, etc. He who is able to withstand that impulse arising from desire and anger,
sah narah, that man; is
yuktah, a yogi; and
sukhi, is happy, in this world.

5:24 deal with What kind of a person, being established in Brahman, attains Brahman?

Arjuna said :Forgive me Lord for calling you a friend

Having seen the Divine form of Krishna in its full splendour, Arjuna, thought about the times when they were growing up and playing together.

सखेति मत्वा प्रसभं यदुक्तं , हे कृष्ण हे यादव हे सखेति।

अजानता महिमानं तवेदं , मया प्रमादात्प्रणयेन वापि।।11.41।।

sakhēti matvā prasabhaṅ yaduktaṅ

hē kṛṣṇa hē yādava hē sakhēti.

ajānatā mahimānaṅ tavēdaṅ

mayā pramādātpraṇayēna vāpi..11.41..
 

English translation by Swami Sivananda

11.41 Whatever I have presumptuously said from carelessness or love, addressing Thee as O Krishna! O Yadava! O Friend! regarding Thee merely as a friend, unknowing of this, Thy greatness.  

prasabhaṅ, rashly, slightingly; 

pramādāt through inadvertence, being in a distracted state of mind; 

vāpi, or even; 

praṇayēna , out of intimacy-itimacy is the familiarity arising out of love; whatever I have said because of that reason;

यच्चावहासार्थमसत्कृतोऽसि , विहारशय्यासनभोजनेषु।

एकोऽथवाप्यच्युत तत्समक्षं , तत्क्षामये त्वामहमप्रमेयम्।।11.42।।

yaccāvahāsārthamasatkṛtō.si

vihāraśayyāsanabhōjanēṣu.

ēkō.thavāpyacyuta tatsamakṣaṅ

tatkṣāmayē tvāmahamapramēyam..11.42

English translation by Swami Sivananda
11.42 In whatever way I may have insulted Thee for the sake of fun, while at play, reposing, sitting or at meals, when alone (with Thee), O Krishna, or in company -- that I implore Thee, immeasurable one, to forgive.

 

What if I can't do what you say?

What if I can't do what you say?

Sri Krishna answers in this in step-wise fashion:

The best of Bhakti yoga:

- Still your mind and intellect in me, and without doubt you will be united with forever. 12-8

मय्येव मन आधत्स्व मयि बुद्धिं निवेशय।
निवसिष्यसि मय्येव अत ऊर्ध्वं न संशयः।।12.8।।

 mayyēva mana ādhatsva mayi buddhiṅ nivēśaya.

nivasiṣyasi mayyēva ata ūrdhvaṅ na saṅśayaḥ..12.8..

English translation by Swami Gambhirananda

12.8 Fix the mind on Me alone; in Me alone rest the intellect. There is no doubt that hereafter you will dwell in Me alone. (For the sake of metre, eva and atah (in the second line of the verse) are not joined together (to form evatah).)

*** 

-but if you can not still your mind in me, learn to do it by regular practise (Meditation) .12-9

अथ चित्तं समाधातुं न शक्नोषि मयि स्थिरम्।
अभ्यासयोगेन ततो मामिच्छाप्तुं धनञ्जय।।12.9।।

atha cittaṅ samādhātuṅ na śaknōṣi mayi sthiram.

abhyāsayōgēna tatō māmicchāptuṅ dhanañjaya..12.9..

English translation by Swami Adidevananda

12.9 If now you are unable to focus your mind on Me, then seek to reach Me, O Arjuna, by the practice of repetition.

***

-If you are incapable of repeated practise to still your mind me- do service to me by working for my sake. 12-10

अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव।
मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन् सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि।।12.10।।

abhyāsē.pyasamarthō.si matkarmaparamō bhava.
madarthamapi karmāṇi kurvan siddhimavāpsyasi..12.10..

English translation by Swami Adidevananda
12.10 If you are incapable of even this practice of repetition, then devote yourself to My deeds (service). For even by working for My sake, you will attain perfection.

***

-If even doing service is not possible then taking refuge in me , renounce the fruits of every action 12-11

अथैतदप्यशक्तोऽसि कर्तुं मद्योगमाश्रितः।
सर्वकर्मफलत्यागं ततः कुरु यतात्मवान्।।12.11।।

athaitadapyaśaktō.si kartuṅ madyōgamāśritaḥ.

sarvakarmaphalatyāgaṅ tataḥ kuru yatātmavān..12.11..

English translation by Swami Adidevananda
12.11 If you are unable to do even this, i.e., taking refuge in My Yoga, then, with your self controlled, renounce the fruits of every action.

***

-because once you renounce the fruit of action- the peace follows. 12-12

श्रेयो हि ज्ञानमभ्यासाज्ज्ञानाद्ध्यानं विशिष्यते।

ध्यानात्कर्मफलत्यागस्त्यागाच्छान्तिरनन्तरम्।।12.12।।

śrēyō hi jñānamabhyāsājjñānāddhyānaṅ viśiṣyatē.

dhyānātkarmaphalatyāgastyāgācchāntiranantaram..12.12..

English translation by Swami Adidevananda

12.12 Far better is knowledge of the self then the repeated practice (of remembrance of the Lord). Better is meditation than this knowledge; Better is renunciation of fruits of action than meditation. From such renunciation, peace ensues. 

Procastrination XVIII : 28; dirghasutri, दीर्घसूत्री

Even procastrination is "Tamasic"

अयुक्तः प्राकृतः स्तब्धः शठो नैष्कृतिकोऽलसः।

विषादी दीर्घसूत्री च कर्ता तामस उच्यते।।18.28।।

ayuktaḥ prākṛtaḥ stabdhaḥ śaṭhō naiṣkṛtikō.lasaḥ.

viṣādī dīrghasūtrī ca kartā tāmasa ucyatē..18.28..

English translation by Swami Sivananda

18.28 Unsteady, vulgar, unbending, cheating, malicious, lazy, desponding and procrastinating -- such an agent is called Tamasic.

English translation by Swami Gambhirananda (on Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary)
18.28 The agent who is
ayuktah,अयुक्तः unsteady;
prakrtah,प्राकृतः naive, of very unrefined intelligence, like a child;
stabdhah,स्तब्धः unbending like a staff-he does not bend down to anyone;
sathah,शठ: deceitful, cunning, hiding his own powers;
naiskrtikah,नैष्कृत: wicked, given to destroying the livelihood of others;
alasah, अलसः lazy, not inclined even to his own duties;
visadi, विषादी morose, ever in a mood of dejection; and
dirghasutri, दीर्घसूत्री procrastinating, postponing duties for long, Ast. adds here, 'sarvada mandasvabhavah, always slow by nature'.-Tr. not accomplishing even in a month what is to be done today or tomorrow;-one who is such, he ucyate, is said to be;  
tamasah,तामस: possessed of tamas. 

Gitomancy

I opened a random page from Srimad Bhagvad Gita for guidance and look what I got:

प्रह्लादश्चास्मि दैत्यानां कालः कलयतामहम्।
मृगाणां च मृगेन्द्रोऽहं वैनतेयश्च पक्षिणाम्।।10.30।।

 

prahlādaścāsmi daityānāṅ kālaḥ kalayatāmaham.

mṛgāṇāṅ ca mṛgēndrō.haṅ vainatēyaśca pakṣiṇām..10.30..

English translation by Swami Sivananda

10.30 And, I am Prahlada among the demons, among the reckoners I am time; among beasts I am the lion, and Vainateya (Garuda) among birds.

And I have a Othakadai Shri Lakshmi Narasimha photo with me and recently I came across the "Kodanda Rama mantra" .

पवनः पवतामस्मि रामः शस्त्रभृतामहम्।

झषाणां मकरश्चास्मि स्रोतसामस्मि जाह्नवी।।10.31।।

10.31 Among the purifiers (or the speeders) I am the wind; Rama among the warriors am I; among the fishes I am the shark; among the streams I am the Ganga.

मकर: makarah

is translated as a "Shark" or more accurately a "Gangetic Dolphin"

http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/religion-helps-save-up-s-dolphins/172534

A Mantra for all times !!

I had been searching for a siddha mantra that has no strings attached..no ahvaan, no purascharan etc.
Finally, found one mentioned in "Sanat kumar samhita" -

" नमो गोपीजनवल्ल्भाभ्याम "

This mantra then started a journey...

The meaning was supposed to be- obesciences to the divine couple who are the beloved of the Gopis. I thought this was obesciences to Krishna who is the beloved of the Gopis.

What is the meaning of "VallabhAbhyAm".. I was told that English doesn't have the "Dual" form and this word is referring to two people(the Divine couple) . Well! I thought, it will be good to learn Sankrit, and what better way to Learn Sanskrit than to read the "padachheda" of Srimad Bhagvad Gita and soon I knew that the Mantra is having its effect...

ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति।
भ्रामयन्सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि मायया।।18.61।।

īśvaraḥ sarvabhūtānāṅ hṛddēśē.rjuna tiṣṭhati.
bhrāmayansarvabhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā..18.61..

English translation by Swami Sivananda
18.61 The Lord dwells in the hearts of all beings, O Arjuna, causing all beings, by His illusive power, to revolve as if mounted on a machine. 

and there was only one way out..

तमेव शरणं गच्छ सर्वभावेन भारत।
तत्प्रसादात्परां शान्तिं स्थानं प्राप्स्यसि शाश्वतम्।।18.62।।

tamēva śaraṇaṅ gaccha sarvabhāvēna bhārata.
tatprasādātparāṅ śāntiṅ sthānaṅ prāpsyasi śāśvatam..18.62..

English translation by Swami Sivananda
18.62 Fly unto Him for refuge with all thy being, O Arjuna; by His grace thou shalt obtain supreme peace (and) the eternal abode.

So, from one mantra- I believe a Siddha mantra, I have changed from inquisitive to a devotee.

This is God's "Maya" but in this case a "Kripa"

The "KIlakam" or The peg or pillar that supports mantra to make it strong

अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः।।18.66।।

ahaṅ tvā sarvapāpēbhyō mōkṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ..18.66..

The blessed Lord supports you by promising "Don't grieve ! , I will liberate you from all sins ."

This is the pivot around which the upadesha revolves.

say no more :)

The "Shakti" or power of Gita

The "Shakti" or power of Gita is can be condensed in this one shloka:

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणं व्रज।
अहं त्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षयिष्यामि मा शुचः।।18.66।।

 

sarvadharmānparityajya māmēkaṅ śaraṇaṅ vraja.

ahaṅ tvā sarvapāpēbhyō mōkṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ..18.66..

Hindi translation by Swami Ram Sukhdas

सम्पूर्ण धर्मोंका आश्रय छोड़कर तू केवल मेरी शरणमें आ जा। मैं तुझे सम्पूर्ण पापोंसे मुक्त कर दूँगा, चिन्ता मत कर ।।18.66।।

The critical issue is the interpretation of the  word "सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य" (sarvadharmānparityajya)-In short Shri Krishna is asking Arjuna to leave it to him whether what he is going to do will be dharma or adharma and if he is doing the dharma or adharma- leave all the attributions to God and just do what you have to do in this scenario.

English translation by Dr. S Sankaranarayan (on Sri Abhinavagupta's Sanskrit Commentary)
18.66 Sarvadharman etc. Abandoning all attributes : This act of slaying the kinsmen and the like that arises incidentally while fighting a war - not owning those acts as your own attribute by your thought 'I am the doer of all these'; also giving up by mind, the notion 'If the act of slaying the teacher etc., is avoided, merit will accrue to me'. come to Me: Come to Me alone, the Agent-of-all-actions, the Supreme Lord, the Sovereign. As your Refuge : as the Guardian of all your natural impulses. On that account I, the Omniscient, shall rescue you from all the sins. Don't be sorrowful : Don't get perplexed 'What to be done'.

The "bIja" of Gita

The "bIja (बीज ) " of Gita is said to be the Shloka: Chapter 2 verse 11:

श्री भगवानुवाच
अशोच्यानन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे।
गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुशोचन्ति पण्डिताः।।2.11।।

aśōcyānanvaśōcastvaṅ prajñāvādāṅśca bhāṣasē.
gatāsūnagatāsūṅśca nānuśōcanti paṇḍitāḥ..2.11.. 

 
English translation by Swami Gambhirananda
2.11 The Blessed Lord said -- You grieve for whose who are not to be grieved for; and you speak words of wisdom! The learned do not grieve for the departed and those who have not departed. 

English commentary by Swami Sivananda
2.11 अशोच्यान् those who should not be grieved for, 

अन्वशोचः hast grieved, 

त्वम् thou, 

प्रज्ञावादान् words of wisdom, 

च and, 

भाषसे speakest, 

गतासून् the dead, 

अगतासून् the living,

च and, 

न अनुशोचन्ति grieve not, 

पण्डिताः the wise.

Commentary -- The philosophy of the Gita begins from this verse....

The Adyar Press has the KashmIr reading as well--"प्राज्ञवन्नाभिभाषते " meaning "not speaking like an intelligent man" .

Dambha,Darpa and Abhimaan

दम्भो दर्पोऽभिमानश्च क्रोधः पारुष्यमेव च।

अज्ञानं चाभिजातस्य पार्थ सम्पदमासुरीम्।।16.4।।

dambhō darpō.bhimānaśca krōdhaḥ pāruṣyamēva ca.

ajñānaṅ cābhijātasya pārtha sampadamāsurīm..16.4..
  
English translation by Swami Sivananda
16.4 Hypocrisy, arrogance and self-conceit, anger and also harshness and ignorance, belong to one who is born for a demoniacal state, O Partha (Arjuna).

 Hindi translation by Swami Ram Sukhdas

हे पृथानन्दन! दम्भ करना, घमण्ड करना, अभिमान करना, क्रोध करना, कठोरता रखना और अविवेकका होना भी -- ये सभी आसुरी-सम्पदाको प्राप्त हुए मनुष्यके लक्षण हैं ।।16.4।।

दम्भः hypocrisy, 

दर्पः arrogance, 

अभिमानः self-conceit,

I like Swami Ramsukhdas ji's explanation:

दम्भः -- मान, बड़ाई, पूजा, ख्याति आदि प्राप्त करनेके लिये, अपनी वैसी स्थिति न होनेपर भी वैसी स्थिति दिखानेका नाम 'दम्भ' है।

दम्भ दो प्रकारसे होता है -- (1) सद्गुण-सदाचारोंको लेकर (2) दुर्गुण-दुराचारोंको लेकर

दर्पः -- घमण्डका नाम 'दर्प' है। धन-वैभव, जमीन-जायदाद, मकान-परिवार आदि ममतावाली चीजोंको लेकर अपनेमें जो बड़प्पनका अनुभव होता है, वह 'दर्प' है। 

अभिमानः -- अहंतावाली चीज़ो को लेकर अर्थात् स्थूल, सूक्ष्म और कारण-शरीरको लेकर अपनेमें जो बड़प्पनका अनुभव होता है, उसका नाम 'अभिमान' है |

About "Krodha" , "Kopa" and "Kshobha" ..later

What does Tapas mean in this shloka ?

यत्करोषि यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि ददासि यत्।
यत्तपस्यसि कौन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व मदर्पणम्।।9.27।।

yatkarōṣi yadaśnāsi yajjuhōṣi dadāsi yat.

yattapasyasi kauntēya tatkuruṣva madarpaṇam..9.27..

Dedicating "Tapas" to Shri Krishna is generally translated as your "Tapasya" being offered but Easwaran translates this as "your Sins" i.e offer everything to me good or bad; good deeds or even your sins !! .

Sloka 5-18

विद्याविनयसंपन्ने ब्राह्मणे गवि हस्तिनि।

शुनि चैव श्वपाके च पण्डिताः समदर्शिनः।।5.18।।

vidyāvinayasaṅpannē brāhmaṇē gavi hastini.

śuni caiva śvapākē ca paṇḍitāḥ samadarśinaḥ..5.18..

The stress is on equanimity- समदर्शिनः
Brahmins have been qualified- only those with  विद्याविनयसंपन्ने .
Pandits are mentioned seperately.
  श्वपाके- is eater of dog's meat.
many commentaries mention- chandaal,outcaste etc

First a few of my favourite shlokas and translations

I have a bias towards the English translation by Eknath Easwaran and the Hindi translation and commentary by Swami Ram Sukh Das.

Let us start with a very confusing sloka :

उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत्।
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः।।6.5।।

uddharedaatmanaatma anam, naatmaanam avasaadayet
aatmaiva hyaatmano bandhur, aatmaiva ripuraatmanah

5. Let a man lift himself by his own Self alone, and let him not lower himself; for, this Self alone is the friend of oneself, and this Self is the enemy of oneself.(चिन्मय Mission)

 

=>आत्मा से मनुष्य आत्मा का उद्धार करे ,उसकी अधोगति न करे | आत्मा ही आत्मा की बंधु है और आत्मा ही आत्मा की शत्रु है | (Gandhi)

=>Reshape yourself through the power of your will; never let yourself be degraded by self-will.The will is the only friend of the self and the will is the only enemy of the self.(Easwaran)

=>Let a man lift himself by his own self; and let him not degrade himself; for he himself is his friend, and he himself is his enemy. 5

I think that the best version is of lifting yourself up by your own efforts or in other words using your will power to lift yourself up.

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श्री कृष्ण शरणं मम