GITA Summary of Chapter - 2 of 18 (Sankhya Yoga)

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Hare Krishna. Pranam to all Vaishnavas,

I surrender unto the lotus feet of Bhagavan Sri Krishna, begging for His merciful blessings to, advise Gita-rahasya to His Bhaktas of this group .

GITA Summary of Chapter - 2( Sankhya Yoga)(Yoga Through the Principle of Analysis)

Preface

In this Chapter, Sri Krishna eloquently answers Arjuna . His first argument is that, Arjuna should "cease from sorrow" because he cannot actually kill his relatives. The Spirit in them is immortal and will simply pass on to a new body.

Krishna's second argument is that, even if Arjuna can't get past the killing part, the truth is that death is simply followed by rebirth, so it amounts to the same thing as the first argument. Again.

Krishna's third argument provides a positive reason, the only one, why Arjuna must fight the battle: It is his dharma, his prescribed duty, as a Kshatriya to fight the battle.

Krishna's fourth and final argument adds an emotional goad to his substantive arguments: If Arjuna doesn't fight, people will think he is a coward and will insult him. We can't have that! Indeed, more fights probably result from insults against manhood than from anybody's sense of duty. Krishna is willing to use both against Arjuna.

 

Krishna wraps up his appeal. Victory or loss don't matter. Loss will simply gain him "glory in heaven." All that matters is that, Arjuna to perform his ‘prescribed duty’ by fighting the Kuruksetra battle.

Summary

Sloka 1sanjaya uvaca:

tam tatha krpayavistam / asru-purnakuleksanamvisidantam idam vakyam / uvaca madhusudanah

(Sanjaya said: Sri Madhusudana thus spoke these words to the lamenting Arjuna, who was overwhelmed with compassion and whose restless eyes were full of tears.)Sloka 2sri bhagavan uvaca :

kutas tva kasmalam idam / visame samupasthitamanarya-justam asvargyam / akirtti-karam arjuna(Sri Bhagavan said: O Arjuna, what is the cause of your delusion at this crucial hour? This is not at all proper for an Aryan. It will neiter enhance your reputation nor lead you to Svarga-loka (heaven) .Sloka 3klaibyam ma sma gamah partha / naitat tvayy upapadyateksudram hrdaya-daurbalyam / tyaktvottistha parantapa(O Partha, do not yield to such cowardice; it does not befit you. Abandon this petty weakness of heart, O Parantapa, and arise to do battle.)Sloka 4arjuna uvacakatham bhismam aham sankhye / dronanca madhusudanaisubhih pratiyotsyami / pujarhav arisudana(Arjuna said: O Madhusudana! O Arisudana, slayer

of enemies! How can I fight with arrows in battle against Grandsire Bhisma and Dronacarya, who are my worshipable superiors?)Sloka 5gurun ahatva hi mahanubhavansreyo bhoktum bhaiksyam apiha lokehatvartha-kamams tu gurun ihaivabhunjiya bhogan rudhira-pradigdhan(It would be better to maintain my life in this world by begging than to kill these great personalities who are my gurus. Even though motivated by material gain, they remain my superiors. After killing them, any worldly enjoyment I might attain would certainly be tainted by their blood.)Sloka 6na caitad vidmah kataran no gariyoyad va jayema yadi va no jayeyuhyan eva hatva na jijivisamaste 'vasthitah pramukhe dhartarastrah(I am unable to decide what is better for us, to conquer them or be conquered by them. Even after killing them we will not desire to live. Yet they have taken

the side of Dhritarastra, and now stand before us on the battlefield.)Sloka 7karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavahprcchami tvam dharma-sammudha-cetahyac chreyah syan niscitam bruhi tan mesisyas te 'ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam(Having become overpowered by weakness of heart and bewildered about how to ascertain dharma, I have given up my natural quality of chivalry. I implore You to tell me what is actually auspicious for me. I am Your disciple and surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.)Sloka 8na hi prapasyami mamapanudyadyac chokam ucchosanam indriyanamavapya bhumav asapatnam rddhamrajyam suranam api cadhipatyam(Even if we attain an unrivalled and prosperous kingdom on earth with sovereignty over the devas, I do not see any way to dispel this lamentation which is drying up my senses.)Sloka 9sanjaya uvaca

:

evam uktva hrsikesam / gudakesah parantapahna yotsya iti govindam / uktva tusnim babhuva ha( Sanjaya said :

After speaking these words, Gudakesa, the chastiser of enemies, said to Sri Krishna, "O Govinda, I shall not fight", and fell silent.)Sloka 10tam uvaca hrsikesah / prahasann iva bharatasenayor ubhayor madhye / visidantam idam vacah(O descendant of Bharata (Dhritarastra), at that time, Hrishikesa, Sri Krishna, smiling in the midst of both armies, spoke the following words to the grieving Arjuna.)Sloka 11sri bhagavan uvaca :

asocyan anvasocas tvam / prajna-vadams ca bhasasegatasun agatasums ca / nanusocanti panditah(Sri Bhagavan said: While speaking learned words you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise do not lament, either for the living or the dead.)Sloka 12na tv evaham jatu nasam / na tvam neme janadhipahna caiva na bhavisyamah / sarve vayam atah param(There was never a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us ever cease to be.)Sloka 13dehino 'smin yatha dehe / kaumaram yauvanam jaratatha dehantara-praptir / dhiras tatra na muhyati(Just as the embodied atma passes from boyhood to youth to old age, similarly, after death, he passes into another

body. An intelligent person is not bewildered by the birth and death of the body.)Sloka 14matra-sparsas tu kaunteya / sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dahagamapayino 'nityas / tams titiksasva bharata(O Kaunteya, when the senses come in contact with the sense objects, oneexperiences cold, heat, happiness and distress. Such experiences are flickering and temporary, and therefore, O Bharata, you must learn to tolerate them.)Sloka 15yam hi na vyathayanty ete / purusam purusarsabhasama-duhkha-sukham dhiram / so 'mrtatvaya kalpate(O best among men, that sober person for whom happiness, distress and the experience of various sense objects are the same, and who is not disturbed by them, is certainly qualified to attain liberation.)Sloka 16nasato vidyate bhavo / nabhavo vidyate satahubhayor api drsto 'ntas / tv anayos

tattva-darsibhih(Of the temporary, such as winter or summer, there is no permanent existence, and of the eternal, such as the jivatma [the individual living entity], there is no destruction. Those who are knowers of the truth have reached this conclusion by deliberating on these subject matters.)Sloka 17avinasi tu tad viddhi / yena sarvam idam tatamvinasam avyayasyasya / na kascit karttum arhati(That by which the entire body is pervaded, you should know to be indestructible. No one is able to destroy the imperishable atma [soul]. )Sloka 18antavanta ime deha / nityasyoktah saririnahanasino 'prameyasya / tasmad yudhyasva bharata(The material bodies of the jivatma, who is eternal, indestructible and immeasurable, are known to be perishable. Therefore, O Arjuna, fight .)Sloka 19ya enam

vetti hantaram / yas cainam manyate hatamubhau tau na vijanito / nayam hanti na hanyate(He who considers the jivatma to be either the killer or the killed is ignorant, for the self neither slays nor is he slain by anyone.)Sloka 20na jayate mriyate va kadacinnayam bhutva bhavita va na bhuyahajo nityah sasvato 'yam puranona hanyate hanyamane sarire(The jivatma neither takes birth nor dies, nor does he experience repeated creation or growth. He is unborn, eternal and ever-existing. Though primeval, he remains ever-youthful. When the body is destroyed, the jivatma is not destroyed.)Sloka 21vedavinasinam nityam / ya enam ajam avyayamkatham sa purusah partha / kam ghatayati hanti kam(O Partha, how can a person who knows the atma to be eternal, birthless , immutable and indestructible kill anyone or cause

anyone to be killed?)Sloka 22vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya / navani grhnati naro 'paranitatha sarirani vihaya jirnany / anyani samyati navani dehi(Just as a person discards his old garments and acquires new ones, the jivatma similarly gives up old, useless bodies and accepts new ones.)Sloka 23nainam chindanti sastrani / nainam dahati pavakahna cainam kledayanty apo / na sosayati murutah(The jivatma can never be pierced by any weapon, burned by fire, moistened by water nor dried by the wind.)Slokas 24-25acchedyo 'yam adahyo 'yam / akledyo 'sosya eva canityah sarva-gatah sthanur / acato 'yam sanatanahavyakto 'ham acintyo 'yam / avikaryo 'yam ucyatetasmad evam viditvainam / nanusocitum arhasi(The jivatma is indivisible, insoluble and cannot be burned or dried. He is eternal,

all-pervasive, permanent, non-moving and ever-existing. He is imperceptible, inconceivable and, being free from the six types of transformations such as birth and death, is immutable. After understanding the atma in this way, it is not proper for you to lament.)

Sloka 26atha cainam nitya-jatam / nityam va manyase mrtamtathapi tvam maha-baho / nainam socitum arhasi(If, however, you think that the atma always takes birth and dies, there is still no reason for you to grieve, O Maha-baho.)Sloka 27jatasya hi dhruvo mrtyur / dhruvam janma mrtasya catasmad apariharye 'rte / na tvam socitum arhasi(For one who is born death is certain and for one who has died birth is certain. Therefore you should not grieve for that which is unavoidable.)Sloka 28avyaktadini bhutani /

vyakta-madhyani bharataavyakta-nidhanany eva / tatra ka paridevana(O Bharata, all beings are unmanifest before their birth, they become manifest in the interim, and after death they once again become unmanifest. So what cause can there be for lamentation?)Sloka 29ascaryavat pasyati kascid enam-ascaryavad vadati tathaiva canyahascaryavac cainam anyah srnotisrutvapy enam veda na caiva kascit(Some look upon the atma as amazing, some speak of him as amazing and some hear of him and accept him as amazing. Others, however, even after hearing about him, cannot understand him at all.)Sloka 30dehi nityam avadhyo 'yam / dehe sarvasya bharatatasmat sarvani bhutani / na tvam socitum arhasi(O Bharata, the eternal jivatma who resides within the body of all living beings can never be slain. Therefore you need not

grieve for anyone.)Sloka 31svadharmam api caveksyana vikampitum arhasidharmyad dhi yuddhac chreyo 'nyatksatriyasya na vidyate(Considering your duty as a kshatriya, you should not hesitate, as there is no better engagement for you than to fight for dharma [occupational duty of the living entity].Sloka 32yadrcchaya copapannam / svarga-dvaram apavrtamsukhinah ksatriyah partha / labhante yuddham idrsam(O Partha, fortunate are those kshatriyas for whom such an opportunity to fight comes of its own accord and thus opens wide the doorway to Svarga.)Sloka 33atha cet tvam imam dharmyam / sangramam na karisyasitatah svadharmam kirttin ca / hitva papam avapsyasi(However, if you do not perform your sva-dharma of fighting this dharmic battle, you will not only lose your status as a

kshatriya, but your only gain will be sinful reaction.)Sloka 34akirttincapi bhutani / kathayisyanti te 'vyayamsambhavitasya cakirttir / maranad atiricyate(People will speak of your infamy for all time, and for an honourable person, dishonour is more painful than death.)Sloka 35bhayad ranad uparatam / mamsyante tvam maha-rathahyesanca tvam bahu-mato / bhutva yasyasi laghavam(Great warriors such as Duryodhana and others will think that you have left the battlefield out of fear. Those who have always honoured you so highly will consider you to be insignificant.)Sloka 36avacya-vadams ca bahun / vadisyanti tavahitahnindantas tava samarthyam / tato duhkhataram nu kim(Your enemies will scorn you with many harsh words, while criticizing your ability. What could be more painful for you than

this?)Sloka 37hato va prapsyasi svargam / jitva va bhoksyase mahimtasmad uttistha kauteya / yuddhaya krta-niscayah(O Kaunteya, if you are killed in the battle you will attain Svarga, and if you are victorious you will enjoy this earthly kingdom. Therefore, stand up with determination and fight.)Sloka 38sukha-duhkhe same krtva / labhalabhau jayajayautato yuddhaya yujyasva / naivam papam avapsyasi(Considering happiness and distress, gain and loss and victory and defeat to be equal, you should fight. In this way you will not incur any sin.)Sloka 39esa te 'bhihita sankhye / buddhir yoge tv imam srnubuddhya yukto yaya partha / karma-bandham prahasyasi(O Partha, thus far I have explained this knowledge of sankhya-yoga, but now I will impart to you the science of bhakti-yoga, by which you

will become freed from the bondage of this material world.)Sloka 40nehabhikrama-naso 'sti / pratyavayo na vidyatesvalpam apy asya dharmasya / trayate mahato bhayat(Endeavours on the path of bhakti-yoga are neither fruitless nor subject to loss. Even a little progress frees one from fear and the greatest of dangers in this material world.)Sloka 41vyavasyatmika buddhir / ekeha kuru-nandanabahu-sakha hy anantas ca / buddhayo 'vyavasayinam(O Kuru-nandana, the intelligence of those who are on this path of bhakti is resolute and one-pointed, but the intelligence of those who are averse to bhakti is many-branched and inconclusive.)Sloka 42yam imam puspitam vacam / pravadanty avipascitahveda-vada-ratah partha / nanyad astiti vadinah(O Partha, those who are foolish reject the real meanings

of the Vedas out of attachment to those ornamental statements which glorify the pursuit of celestial pleasures, but which yield only poisonous effects. They say there are no higher truths than these.)Sloka 43kamatmanah svarga-para / janma-karma-phala-pradamkriya-visesa-bahulam / bhogaisvarya-gatim prati(Those whose hearts are contaminated by lust perform many pompous ceremonies to attain Svarga-loka [heavenly planets], thinking these to be the highest objective of the Vedas. Though leading to enjoyment and opulence, such rituals bind their followers in the cycle of birth and death.)Sloka 44bhogaisvarya-prasaktanam / tayapahrta-cetasamvyavasayatmika buddhih / samadhau na vidhiyate(Those who are attached to enjoyment and opulence, whose minds have been captivated by heavenly happiness, do not attain the resolute intelligence for exclusive meditation

upon the Supreme.)Sloka 45traigunya-visaya veda / nistraigunyo bhavarjunanirdvandvo nitya-sattva-stho / niryoga-ksema atmavan(O Arjuna, rise above the modes described in the Vedas and become established in nirguna-tattva. Become free from all dualities such as honour and dishonour, give up attachment to profit and loss, and situate yourself in suddha-sattva [pure goodness, pure knowledge] using the intelligence awarded by Me.)Sloka 46yavan artha udapane / sarvatah samplutodaketavan sarvesu vedesu / brahmanasya vijanatah(All the purposes served by a variety of wells can easily be fulfilled by a large lake. Similarly, whatever results are attained by the worship of various devas [demi-gods] described in the Vedas, can easily be attained through the worship of Bhagavan by knowers of brahma endowed with bhakti.)Sloka

47karmany evadhikaras te / ma phalesu kadacanama karma-phala-hetur bhur / ma te sango 'stv akarmani(You have the right to perform your prescribed work, but you have no right to the fruits. You should not consider yourself to be the cause of the result of your actions, nor should you become attached to neglecting your duties.)Sloka 48yoga-sthah kuru karmani / sangam tyaktva dhananjayasiddy-asiddhyoh samo bhutva / samatvam yoga ucyate(O Dhananjaya, in a devotional mood, give up attachment to the fruits of karma, perform your prescribed duties and become equipoised in success and failure. Such equanimity is called yoga.)Sloka 49durena hy avaram karma / buddhi-yogad dhananjayabuddhau saranam anviccha / krpanah phala-hetavah(O Dhananjaya, reject all inferior activities and take shelter of

nishkama-karma-yoga. Those who desire the fruits of their karma are misers.)

Sloka 50buddhi-yukto jahatiha / ubhe sukrta-duskrtetasmad yogaya yujyasva / yogah karmasu kausalam(One who practises buddhi-yoga is freed from both pious and impious actions in this very life. Therefore, strive for nishkama-karma-yoga, working under the shelter of buddhi-yoga with equanimity. This is the secret of work.)Sloka 51karma-jam buddhi-yukta hi / phalam tyaktva manisinahjanma-bandha-vinirmuktah / padam gacchanty anamayam(Sages endowed with buddhi-yoga release themselves from the results born of karma. Thus becoming freed from the

cycle of birth and death, they eventually attain Vaikuntha, the state beyond all mundane miseries.)Sloka 52yada te moha-kalilam / buddhir vyatitarisyatitada gantasi nirvedam / srotavyasya srutasya ca(When your intelligence has crossed beyond the dense forest of illusion, you will become indifferent to all that has been heard and all that is to be heard.)Sloka 53sruti-vipratipanna te / yada sthasyati niscalasamadhav acala buddhis / tada yogam avapsyasi(When your intelligence becomes detached from hearing various interpretations of the Vedas, and when it becomes free from all other attachments while remaining steadfast in Paramesvara, then you will attain the fruit of yoga.)Sloka 54arjuna uvaca:

sthita-prajnasya ka bhasa / samadhi-sthasya kesavasthita-dhih kim prabhaseta / kim asita vrajeta kim(Arjuna said: O Kesava! What are the symptoms of a person whose intelligence is fixed in samadhi? How does he speak? How does he sit? And how does he walk?)Sloka 55sri bhagavan uvaca :

prajahati yada kaman / sarvan partha mano-gatanatmany evatmana-tustah / sthita-prajnas tadocyate(Sri Bhagavan said: O Partha, when the jivatma gives up all material desires arising from the mind and when, with his mind thus controlled, he becomes satisfied by the blissful nature of the self alone, then he is to be known as sthita-prajna, a person of steady intelligence.)Sloka 56duhkhesv anudvigna-manah / sukhesu vigata-sprhahvita-raga-bhaya-krodhah / sthita-dhir munir ucyate(One who is not disturbed by the three types of miseries: adhyatmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika, who does not become elated in the presence of happiness, and who is free from attachment, fear and anger, is called a steady-minded sage.)Sloka 57yah sarvatranabhisnehas /

tat tat prapya subhasubhamnabhinandati na dvesti / tasya prajna pratisthita(One who is devoid of mundane affection, who neither rejoices in gain nor despairs in loss, is known to have fixed intelligence.)Sloka 58yada samharate cayam / kurmo 'nganiva sarvasahindriyanindriyarthebhyas / tasya prajna pratisthita(When a person can completely withdraw his senses from the sense objects at will, just as a tortoise withdraws its limbs into its shell, his intelligence is firmly fixed.)Sloka 59visaya vinivarttante / niraharasya dehinahrasa-varjam raso 'py asya / param drstva nivarttate(He who identifies himself with his body may artificially restrict his enjoyment by withdrawing the senses from their objects, but his taste for sense-pleasure still remains. However, for one who is sthita-prajna having realized Paramatma,

his taste for sense objects automatically ceases.)Sloka 60yatato hy api kaunteya / purusasya vipascitahindriyani pramathini / haranti prasabham manah(O Kaunteya, the restless senses can forcibly steal away the mind of even a man of discrimination who is endeavouring to achieve liberation.)Sloka 61tani sarvani samyamya / yukta asita mat-parahvase hi yasyendriyani / tasya prajna pratisthita(Therefore one should subdue the senses by surrendering to Me in bhakti-yoga and living under My shelter. Only one whose senses are controlled is fixed in intelligence. He alone is sthita-prajna.)Sloka 62dhyayato visayan pumsah / sangas tesupajayatesangat sanjayate kamah / kamat krodho 'bhijayate(By meditating on the objects of the senses, one develops attachment. Attachment gives rise to desire,

which in turn leads to anger.)Sloka 63krodhad bhavati sammohah / sammohat smrti-vibhramahsmrti-bhramsad buddhi-naso / buddhi-nasat pranasyati(Anger gives rise to delusion, and from delusion comes loss of memory, forgetting the instructions of sastra. Loss of memory destroys intelligence, and when the intelligence is destroyed, everything is lost and one again falls down into the material pool.)Sloka 64raga-dvesa-vimuktais tu / visayan indriyais caranatma-vasyair vidheyatma / prasadam adhigacchati(A man of controlled senses, however, who is free from attachment and aversion, attains calmness of mind even while enjoying various objects through his senses.)Sloka 65prasade sarva-duhkhanam / hanir asyopajayateprasanna-cetaso hy asu / buddhih paryavatisthate(When one who is sthita-prajna

achieves tranquility, all miseries vanish. As a result, the intelligence of such a clear-minded person soon becomes fixed in attaining his desired goal.)Sloka 66nasti buddhir ayuktasya / na cayuktasya bhavanana cabhavayatah santir / asantasya kutah sukham(One whose mind is uncontrolled, and who is bereft of intelligence related to the atma, is unable to attain peace through meditation on Paramesvara. And without peace, where is the possibility of happiness?)Sloka 67indriyanam hi caratam / yan mano 'nuvidhiyatetad asya harati prajnam / vayur navam ivambhasi(Just as the wind sweeps away a boat on the water, similarly, any one of the wandering senses can divert a man's uncontrolled mind and carry away his intelligence.)Sloka 68tasmad yasya maha-baho / nigrhitani sarvasahindriyanindriyarthebhyas / tasya prajna

pratishita(Therefore, O Maha-baho, one whose senses are completely restrained from their respective sense objects is fixed in intelligences.)Sloka 69ya nisa sarva-bhutanam / tasyam jagartti samyamiyasyam jagrati bhutani / sa nisa pasyato muneh(The enlightened state of such a steady-minded sage appears like darkness to the general mass of jivas, while the waking condition of the bewildered sense-enjoyers is like night to the self-controlled muni.)Sloka 70apuryamanam acala-pratisthamsamudram apah pravisanti yadvattadvat kama yam pravisanti sarvesa santim apnoti na kama-kami(Just as countless rivers flow into the ocean, which never floods, various desires flow into the mind of one who is sthita-prajna, yet his equilibrium is never disturbed. Such persons alone can attain peace, not those who strive always to

fulfil their desires.)Sloka 71vihaya kaman yah sarvan / pumams carati nihsprhahnirmamo nirahankarah / sa santim adhigacchati(It is only those who give up all desires and wander free from hankering, false ego and possessiveness who attain peace.)Sloka 72esa brahmi sthitih partha / nainam prapya vimuhyatisthitvasyam anta-kale 'pi / brahma-nirvanam rcchati(O Partha, attaining brahma in this way is called brahmi sthitih. After attaining this state, one is no longer deluded. If, at the time of death, one is situated in this consciousness, even for a moment, he attains brahma-nirvana.)

 

Thus end the Second Chapter of Srimad Bhagavad-Gita, which gives pleasure to the bhaktas and is accepted by all saintly persons.

Ohm Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya!!!

SriKrishnaDasa Rajeev

 

(To Continue in next part ..)

NB - : The above is saved in the Folder, ‘Gita’ in ’s FILES. The chapter-wise summary of remaining (16) chapters of Bhagavad Gita , will be posted in (16) parts, in the coming days.

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