Chapter- 2
Rajeev Raghunath
THE BHAGAVAD-GITA
सांख्य योगः
Sankhya Yoga- The Yoga of Knowledge
CHAPTER 2
The Message of Strength – Arjuna declines to Fight against the Revered
Ones – Spiritual Anguish – The Harbinger of Grace – Consistency is
Yoga – Atman is Immortal – Nature of Death – Feelings Pertain to Body
– The Real and the Unreal – Be not Attached to Karma – Rebirth of the
Embodies – Atman is Super-Mundane – The Materailistic Standpoint –
Atman Transcends Mind and Speech – Swerve not from Duty – Transform
Karma into Karma Yoga – The Way of the Worldly – The Key to Yoga – The
Enlightened Defined
सञ्जय उवाच :
तं तथा कृपयाविष्टं अश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम् ।
विषीदन्तमिदं वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनः ।। (१)
Sanjaya said:
To him who was thus overcome with pity and who was despondent, with
eyes full of tears and agitated, Madhusudana (the destroyer of Madhu)
or Krishna spoke these words: (1)
श्री भगवानुवाच :
कुतस्त्वा कश्मलमिदं विषमे समुपत्थितम् ।
अनार्यजुष्टम् अस्वर्ग्यम् अकीर्तिकरमर्जुन ।। (२)
The Blessed Lord said:
Whence is this perilous strait come upon thee, this dejection which is
unworthy of you, disgraceful, and which will close the gates of heaven
upon you, O Arjuna? (2)
क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते ।
क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप ।। (३)
Yield not to impotence, O Arjuna, son of Pritha. It does not befit
thee. Cast off this mean weakness of the heart! Stand up, O scorcher
of foes! (3)
अर्जुन उवच :
कथं भीष्ममहं संख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूदन ।
इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन ।। (४)
Arjuna said:
How, O Madhusudana, shall I fight in battle with arrows against
Bhishma and Drona, who are fit to be worshipped, O destroyer of
enemies? (4)
गुरूनहत्वा हि महानुभावान्
श्रेयो भोक्तुं भैक्ष्यमपीहलोके ।
हत्वार्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव
भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुधिर प्रदिग्धान् ।। (५)
Better it is, indeed, in this world to accept alms than to slay the
most noble teachers. But if I kill them, even in this world all my
enjoyments of wealth and fulfilled desires will be stained with
(their) blood. (5)
न चैतद्विद्मः कतरन्नो गरीयो
यद्वा जयेम यदि वा नो जयेयुः ।
यानेव हत्वा न जिजीविषाम-
स्तेऽवस्थिताः प्रमुखे धार्तराष्ट्राः ।। (६)
I can hardly tell which will be better; that we should conquer them or
that they should conquer us. Even the sons of Dhritarashtra, after
slaying whom we should not wish to live, stand facing us. (6)
कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः
पृच्छामि त्वां धर्मसंमूढचेताः ।
यच्छ्रेयः स्यान्निश्चितं ब्रूहि तन्मे
शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम् ।। (७)
My heart is overpowered by the taint of pity; my mind is confused as
to duty. I ask Thee: Tell me decisively what is good for me. I am Thy
disciple. Instruct me who has taken refuge in Thee. (7)
न हि प्रपश्यामि ममापनुद्या-
द्यच्छोकमुच्छोषणमिन्द्रियाणां ।
अवाप्यभूमावसपत्नमृद्धं
राज्यं सुराणामपि चाधिपत्यम् ।। (८)
I do not see that it would remove this sorrow that burns up my senses,
even if I should attain prosperous and unrivalled dominion on earth or
lordship over the gods. (8)
सञ्जय उवाच :
एवमुक्त्वा हृषीकेशं गुडाकेशः परन्तपः ।
न यित्स्य इति गोविन्दमुक्त्वा तूष्णीं बभूवः ।। (९)
Sanjaya said :-
Having spoken thus to Hrishikesha, Arjuna said to Krishna, “I will not
fight” and became silent. (9)
तमुवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव भारत ।
सेनयोः उभयोर्मध्ये विषीदन्तमिदं वचः ।। (१०)
To him, who was despondent in the midst of the two armies, Krishna, as
if smiling, O Bharata, spoke these words. (10)
श्री भगवानुवाच :
अशोच्यानन्नशोचस्तवं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे ।
गतासूनगतासूंश्च नानुसोचन्ति पण्डिताः ।। (११)
The Blessed Lord said:
Thou has grieved for those that should not be grieved for, yet thou
speakest words of wisdom. The wise grieve neither for the living nor
for the dead. (11)
Commentary : The philosophy of the Gita begins from this verse.
Bhishma and Drona deserve no grief because they are eternal in their
real nature and they are virtuous men who possess very good conduct.
Though you speak words of wisdom you are unwise because you grieve for
those who are really eternal and who deserve no grief. They who are
endowed with the knowledge of the Self are wise men. They will not
grieve for the living or for the dead because they know well that the
Self is immortal and that It is unborn. They also know that there is
no such a thing as death, that it is a separation of the astral body
from the physical, that death is nothing more than a disintegration of
matter and that the five elements of which the body is composed return
to their source. Arjuna had forgotten the eternal nature of the Soul
and the changing nature of the body. Because of his ignorance, he
began to act as if the temporary relations with kinsmen, teachers,
etc., were permanent. he forgot that his relations with this world in
his present life were the results of past actions. These, when
exhausted, end all relationship and new ones crop up when one takes on
another body.
The result of past actions is known as karma and that portion of the
karma which gave rise to the present incarnation is known as prarabdha
karma.
न त्वेवाहं जातु नाशं न त्वं ने मे जनाधिपाः ।
न चैव न भविष्यामः सर्वे वयमतः परम् ।। (१२)
Nor at any time indeed was I not, nor thou, nor these rulers of men,
nor verily shall we ever cease to be hereafter. (12)
Commentary : Lord Krishna speaks here of the immortality of the Soul
or the imperishable nature of the Self (Atman). The Soul exists in the
three periods of time (past, present and future). Man continues to
exist even after the death of the physical body. There is life beyond.
देहिनोऽस्मिन्यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा ।
तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिर्धीरस्तत्र न मुह्यति ।। (१३)
Just as in this body the embodied (soul) passes into childhood, youth
and old age, so also does it pass into another body; the firm man does
not grieve thereat. (13)
Commentary : Just as there is no interruption in the passing of
childhood into youth and youth into old age in this body, so also
there is no interruption by death in the continuity of the ego. The
Self is not dead at the termination of the stage, viz. childhood. It
is certainly not born again at the beginning of the second stage, viz.
youth. Just as the Self passes unchanged from childhood to youth and
from youth to old age, so also the Self passes unchanged from one body
into another. therefore, the wise man is not at all distressed about
it.
मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः ।
आगमापायिनोऽनित्याः तांस्तिक्षस्व भारत ।। (१४)
The contacts of the senses with the objects, O son of Kunti, which
cause heat and cold, pleasure and pain, have a beginning and an end;
they are impermanent; endure them bravely, O Arjuna. (14)
Commentary : Cold is pleasant at one time and painful at another. Heat
is pleasant in winter but painful in summer. The same object that
gives pleasure at one time gives pain at another time. So the sense-
contacts that give rise to the sensations of heat and cold, pleasure
and pain come and go. Therefore, they are impermanent in nature. The
objects come in contact with the senses or Indriyas, viz., sin, ear,
eye, nose, etc., and the sensations are carried by the nerves to the
mind which has its seat in the brain. It is the mind that feels
pleasure and pain. One should try to bear patiently heat and cold,
pleasure and pain and develop a balanced state of mind. (Cf V.22)
यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभं ।
समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते ।। (१५)
That firm man whom, surely, these afflict not, O chief among men, to
whom pleasure and pain are the same, is fit for attaining immortality.
(15)
Commentary : Dehadhyasa or identification of the Self with the body is
the cause of pleasure and pain. The more you are able to identify
yourself with the immortal, all-pervading Self, the less will you be
affected by the pairs of opposites (Dvandvas, pleasure and pain, etc.)
Titiksha or the power of endurance develops the will-power. Calm
endurance in pleasure and pain, and heat and cold is one of the
qualifications of an aspirant on the path of Jnana Yoga. It is one of
the Shatsampat or sixfold virtues. It is a condition of right
knowledge. Titiksha by itself cannot give you Moksha or liberation,
but still, when coupled with discrimination and dispassion, it becomes
a means to the attainment of Immortality or knowledge of the Self.
(Cf. XVIII.53)
नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः ।
उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः ।। (१६)
The unreal hath no being; there is no non-being of the real; the truth
about both has been seen by the knowers of the Truth (or the seers of
the Essence). (16)
Commentary : The changeless, homogeneous Atman or the Self always
exits. It is the only solid Reality. This phenomenal world of names
and forms is ever changing. Hence it is unreal. The sage or the
Jivanmukta is fully aware that the Self always exists and that this
world is like a mirage. Through his Jnanachakshus or the ye of
intuition, he directly cognizes the Self. This world vanishes for him
like the snake in the rope, ater it has been seen that only the rope
exists. he rejects the names and forms and takes the underlying
Essence in all the names and forms, viz., Asti-Bhati-Priya or
Satchidananda or Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute. Hence he is a
Tattvadarshi or a knower of the Truth or the Essence.
What is changing must be unreal. What is constant or permanent must be
real.
अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ।
विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित् कर्तुमर्हति ।। (१७)
Know that to be indestructible, by Which all this is pervaded. None
can cause the destruction of That, the imperishable. (17)
Commentary : Brahman or Atman pervades al the objects like ether. Even
if the pot is broken, the ether that is within and without the pot
cannot be destroyed. Even so, if the bodies and all other objects
perish, Brahman or the Self that pervades them cannot perish. It is
the living Truth, Sat.
Brahman has no parts. There cannot be either increase or diminution in
Brahman. People are ruined by loss of wealth. But Brahman does not
suffer any loss in that way. It is inexhaustible. Therefore, none can
bring about the disappearance or destruction of the Self. It always
exists. It is always all-full and self-contained. It is Existence
Absolute. It is immutable.
अन्तवन्त इमे देहा नित्यस्योक्ताः शरीरिणः ।
अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत ।। (१८)
These bodies of the embodied Self, Which is eternal, indestructible
and immeasurable, are said to have an end. Therefore fight, O Arjuna.
(18)
Commentary : Lord Krishna explains to Arjuna the nature of the all-
pervading, immortal Self in a variety or ways and thus induces him to
fight by removing his delusion, grief and despondency which are born
of ignorance.
य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारं यश्चैनं मन्यते हतम् ।
उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते ।। (१९)
He who takes the Self to be the slayer and he who thinks It is slain,
neither of them knows. It slays not, nor is it slain. (19)
Commentary : The Self is non-doer (Akarta) and as It is immutable, It
is neither the agent nor the object of the act of slaying. He who
thinks “I slay” or “I am slain” with the body or the Ahamkara (ego),
he does not really comprehend the true nature of the Self. The Self is
indestructible. It exists in the three periods of time. It is Sat
(Existence). When the body is destroyed, the Self is not destroyed.
The body has to undergo change in any case. It is inevitable. But the
Self is not at all affected by it. Verses 19, 20, 21, 23, and 24 speak
of the immortality of the Self or Atman. (Cf. XVIII. 17)
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचि-
न्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः ।
अजो नित्यः शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ।। (२०)
It is not born, nor does It die; after having been, It again ceases
not to be; unborn, eternal, changeless and ancient, It is not killed
when the body is killed. (20)
Commentary : This Self (Atman) is destitute of the six types of
transformation or Bhava-Vikaras such as birth, existence, growth,
transformation, decline and death. As It is indivisible (Akhanda), It
does not diminish in size. It neither grows nor does It decline. It is
ever the same. Birth and death are for the physical body only. Birth
and death cannot touch the immortal, all-pervading Self.
वेदाविनाशिनं नित्यं य एनमजमव्ययम् ।
कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कम् ।। (२१)
Whosoever knows It to be indestructible, eternal, unborn and
inexhaustible, how can that man slay, O Arjuna, or cause to be slain?
(21)
Commentary : The enlightened sage who knows the immutable and
indestructible Self through direct cognition or spiritual Anubhava
(experience) cannot do the act of slaying. He cannot cause another to
slay also.
वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय
नवानि गृह्णाति नरोऽपराणि ।
तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णा -
न्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही ।। (२२)
Just as a man casts off worn-out clothes and puts on new ones, so also
the embodied Selfcasts off work-out bodies and enters others which are
new. (22)
नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः ।
न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः ।। (२३)
Weapons cut It not, fire burns It not, water wets It not, wind dries
It not. (23)
Commentary : The Self is indivisible. It has no parts. It is extremely
subtle. It is infinite. Therefore, sword cannot cut It; fire cannot
burn It; water cannot wet It; wind cannot dry It.
अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एव च ।
नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः ।। (२४)
This Self cannot be cut, burnt, wetted, nor dried up. It is eternal,
all-pervading, stable, immovable and ancient. (24)
Commentary : The Self is very subtle. It is beyond the reach of speech
and mind. It is very difficult to understand this subtle Self. So Lord
Krishna explains the nature of the immortal Self in a variety of ways
with various illustrations and examples, so that It can be grasped by
the people.
Sword cannot cut this Self. So It is eternal. Because It is eternal,
It is all-pervading. Because It is all-pervading, It is stable like a
statue. Because it is stable, It is immovable. It is everlasting.
Therefore, It is not produced out of any cause. It is not new. It is
ancient.
अव्यक्तोऽयमचिन्त्योऽयमविकार्योऽयमुच्यते ।
तस्मादेवं विदित्वैनं नानुशोचितुमर्हसि ।। (२५)
This (Self) is said to be unmanifested, unthinkable and unchangeable.
Therefore, knowing This to be such, thou shouldst not grieve. (25)
Commentary : The Self is not an object of perception. It can hardly be
seen by the physical eyes. Therefore, the Self is unmanifested. That
which is seen by th eyes becomes an object of thought. As the Self
cannot be perceived by the eyes, It is unthinkable. Milk when mixed
with buttermilk changes its form. The Self cannot change Its form like
milk. Hence, It is changeless and immutable. Therefore, thus
understanding the Self, thou shouldst not mourn. Thou shouldst not
think also that thou art their slayer and that they are killed by
thee.
अथं चैनं नित्यजातं नित्यं वामन्यसे मृतम् ।
तथापि त्वं महाबाहो नैवं शोचितुमर्हसि ।। (२६)
But even if thou thinkest of It as being constantly born and
constantly dying, even then, O mighty-armed, thou shouldst not grieve.
(26)
Commentary : Lord Krishna here, for the sake of argument, takes up the
poular supposition. Granting that the Self is again and again born
whenever a body comes into being, and again and again dies whenever
the body dies, O mighty-armed, thou shouldst not grieve thus, because
birth is inevitable to what is dead and death is inevitable to what is
born. This is the inexorable or unrelenting Law of Nature.
जातस्य हि धृवो मृत्युर्ध्रवं जन्म मृतस्य च ।
तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हति ।। (२७)
For certain is death for the born, and certain is birth for the dead;
therefore, over the inevitable thou shouldst not grieve. (27)
Commentary : Birth is sure to happen to that which is dead; death is
sure to happen to that which is born. Birth and death are certainly
unavoidable. Therefore, you should not grieve over an inevitable
matter.
अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्तमध्यानि भारत ।
अव्यक्तनिधनान्येव तत्र का परिदेवना ।। (२८)
Beings are unmanifested in their beginning, manifested in their middle
state, O Arjuna, and unmanifested again in their end. What is there to
grieve about? (28)
Commentary : The physical body is a combination of the file elements.
It is seen by the physical eyes only afer the five elements have
entered into such combination. After death, the body disintegrates and
the five elements go back to their source; it cannot be seen. The
relationship as son,friend, teacher, father, mother, wife, brother,
and sister is formed through the body on account of attachment and
Moha (delusion). Just as planks unite and separate in a river, just as
pilgrims unite and separate in a public inn, so also fathers, mothers,
sons and brothers unite and separate in this world. This world is a
very big public inn. People unite and separate.
There is no pot in the beginning and in the end. Even if you see the
pot in the middle, you should think and feel that it is illusory and
does not really exist. So also there is no body in the beginning and
in the end. That which does not exist in the beginning and in the end
must be illusory in the middle also. You must think and feel that the
body does not really exist in the middle as well.
He who thus understands that nature of the body and all human
relationships based on it, will not grieve.
आश्चर्यवत्पश्यति कश्चिदेन-
माश्चर्यवद्वदति तथैव चान्यः ।
आश्चर्यवच्चैनमान्यः शृणोति
श्रुत्वाप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित् ।। (२९)
One sees This (the Self) as a wonder; another speaks of it as a
wonder; another hears of its as a wonder; yet having heard, none
understands it at all. (29)
Commentary : The verse may also be interpreted in this manner. He that
sees, hears and speaks of the Self is a wonderful man. Such a man is
very rare. He is one among many thousands. Thus the Self is very hard
to understand.
देही नित्यमवध्योऽयं देहे सर्वस्य भारत ।
तस्मात्सर्वाणि भूतानि न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि ।। (३०)
This, the indweller in the body of everyone, is every indestructible,
O Arjuna; therefore, thou shouldst not grieve for any creature. (30)
Commentary : The body of any creature may be destroyed, but the self
cannot be killed. Therefore, you should not grieve regarding any
creature whatever, Bhishma or anybody else.
स्वधर्ममपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितुमर्हसि ।
धर्म्याद्धि युद्धाच्छेयोऽन्यत्क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते ।। (३१)
Further, having regard to thy duty, thou shouldst not waver, for there
is nothing higher for a Kshatriya than a righteous war. (31)
Commentary : Lord Krishna now gives to Arjuna worldly reasons for
fighting. Up to this time, He talked to Arjuna on the immortality of
the Self and gave him philosophical reasons. Now He says to Arjuna, “O
Arjuna ! Fighting is a Kshatriya’s own duty.
यदृच्छया चोपपन्नं स्वर्गद्वारमपावृतम् ।
सुखिनः क्षत्रियाः पार्थ लभन्ते युद्धमीदृशम् ।। (३२)
Happy are the Kshatriyas, O Arjuna ! who are called upon to fight in
such a battle that comes of itself as an open door to heaven. (32)
Commentary : The scriptures declare that if a Kshatriya dies for a
righteous cause on the battlefield, he at once goes to heaven.
अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि ।
ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिं च हित्वा पापमवाप्स्यसि ।। (३३)
But if thou wilt not fight this righteous war, then having abandoned
thine own duty and fame, thou shalt incur sin. (33)
Commentary : The Lord reminds Arjuna of the fame he had already earned
and which he would now lose if he refused to fight. Arjuna had
acquired great fame by fighting with Lord Siva. Arjuna proceeded on a
pilgrimage to the Himalayas. He fought with Siva who appeared in the
guise of a mountaineer (Kirata) and got from him Pasupatastra, a
celestial weapon.
अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यन्ति तेऽव्ययाम् ।
संभावितस्य चाकीर्तः मरणादतिरिच्यते ।। (३४)
People, too, will recount thy everlasting dishonor; and to one who has
been honored, dishonor is worse than death. (34)
Commentary : The world also will ever recount thy infamy which will
survive thee for a long time. Death is really preferable to disgrace
to one who has been honored as a great hero and mighty warrior with
noble qualities.
भयाद्रणादुपरतं मंस्यन्ते त्वां महारथाः ।
येषां च त्वं बहुमतो भूत्वा यास्यसि लाघवम् ।। (३५)
The great car-warriors will think that thou hast withdrawn from the
battle through fear; and thou will be lightly held by them who have
thought much of thee. (35)
Commentary : Duryodhana and others will certainly think that you have
fled frfom the battle from fear of Karna and others, but not through
compassion and reverence for elders and teachers. Duryodhana and
others who have shown great esteem to you on account of your chivalry,
bravery and other noble qualities, will think very lightly of you and
treat you with contempt.
अवाच्यवादांश्च बहून् वदिष्यन्ति तवाहिताः ।
निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम् ।। (३६)
Thy enemies also, caviling at thy power, will speak many abusive
words. What is more painful than this ?
Commentary : There is really no pain more unbearable and tormenting
than that of slander thus incurred.
हतो वा प्राप्स्यसि स्वर्गं जित्वा वा भोक्ष्यसे महीम् ।
तस्मादुत्तिष्ठ कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृतनिश्चयः ।। (३७)
Slain, thou wilt obtain heaven; victorious, thou wilt enjoy the earth;
therefore, stand up, O son of Kunti, resolved to fight. (37)
Commentary : In either case you will be benefited. Therefore, stand up
with the firm resolution: “I will conquer the enemy or die.”
सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ ।
ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्सयसि ।। (३८)
Having made pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat the
same, engage thou in battle for the sake of battle; thus thou shalt
not incur sin. (38)
Commentary : This is the Yoga of equanimity or the doctrine of poise
in action. If anyone does any action with the above mental attitude or
balanced state of mind, he will not reap the fruits of his actions.
Such an action will lead to the purification of his heart and freedom
from birth and death. One has to develop such a balanced state of mind
through continuous struggle and vigilant efforts.
एषा तेऽभिहिता सांख्ये बुद्धिर्योगे त्विमां श्रृणु ।
बुद्ध्यायुक्तो यया पार्थ कर्मबन्धं प्रहास्यसि ।। (३९)
This, which has been taught to thee, is wisdom concerning Sankhya. Now
listen to wisdom concerning Yoga, endowed with which, O Arjuna, thou
shalt cast off the bonds of action. (39)
Commentary : Lord Krishna taught Jnana (Knowledge) to Arjuna till now.
(Sankhya Yoga is the path of Vedanta or Jnana Yoga, which treats the
nature of Atman or the Self and the methods to attain Self-
realization. It is not the Sankhya philosophy of Sage Kapila). He is
now going to teach Arjuna the technique or secret of Karma Yoga
endowed with which he (or anybody else) can break through the bonds of
Karma. The Karma Yogi should perform work without expectation of
fruits of his actions, without the idea of agency (or the notion “I do
this”), without attachment, after annihilating or going beyond all the
pairs of opposites such as heat and cold, gain and loss, victory and
defeat, etc. Dharma and Adharma, or merit and demerit will not touch
that Karma Yogi who works without attachment and egoism. The Karma
Yogi consecrates all his works and their fruits as offerings unto the
Lord (Iswararpanam) and thus obtains the grace of the Lord
(Iswavaraprasada).
नेहाभिक्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते ।
स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात् ।। (४०)
In this there is no loss of effort, nor is there any harm (production
of contrary results or transgression). Even a little of this knowledge
(even a little practice of this Yoga) protects one from great fear.
(40)
Commentary : If a religious ceremony is left uncompleted, it is a
wastage as the performer cannot realize the fruits. But it is not so
in the case of Karma Yoga, because every action causes immediate
purification of the heart.
In agriculture there is uncertainty. The farmer may till the land,
plough and sow the seed; but he may not get a crop if there is no
rain. This is not so in Karma Yoga. There is no uncertainty at all.
Further, there is no chance of any harm coming out of it. In the case
of medical treatment great harm will result from the doctor’s
injudicious treatment if he uses a wrong medicine. But it is not so in
the case of Karma Yoga. Anything done, however little it may be, in
this path of Yoga, the Yoga of Action, saves one from great fear of
being caught in the wheel of birth and death. Lord Krishna here extols
Karma Yoga in order to create interest in Arjuna in this Yoga.
व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनंदन ।
बहुशाखा ह्यनन्ताश्च बुद्धयोऽव्यवसायिनाम् ।। (४१)
Here, O joy of the Kurus !, there is but a single one-pointed
determination; many-branched and endless are the thoughts of the
irresolute. (41)
Commentary : Here, in this path to Bliss there is only one thought of
a resolute nature; there is single-minded determination. This single
thought arises from the right source of knowledge. The student of Yoga
collects all the dissipated rays of the mind. He gathers all of them
through discrimination, dispassion and concentration. He is free from
wavering or vacillation of the mind.
The worldly-minded man who is sunk in the mire of Samsara has no
single-minded determination. He entertains countless thoughts. His
mind is always unsteady and vacillating.
If thoughts cease, Samsara also ceases. Mind generates endless
thoughts and this world comes into being. Thoughts, and names and
forms are inseparable. If the thoughts are controlled, the mind is
controlled and the Yogi is liberated.
यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचं प्रवदन्त्यविपश्चितः ।
वेदवादरताः पार्थ नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः ।। (४२)
Flowery speech is uttered by the unwise, taking pleasure in the
eulogizing words of the Vedas, O Arjuna, saying, “There is nothing
else.” (42)
Commentary : Unwise people who are lacking in discrimination lay great
stress upon the Karma Kanda or the ritualistic portion of the Vedas,
which lays down specific rules for specific actions for the attainment
of specific fruits and extol these actions and rewards unduly. They
are highly enamored of such Vedic passages which prescribe ways for
the attainment of heavenly enjoyments. They say that there is nothing
else beyond the sensual enjoyments in Svarga (Heaven) which can be
obtained by performing the rites of the Karma Kanda of the Vedas.
There are two main division of the Vedas – Karma Kanda (the section
dealing with action), and Jnana Kanda (the section dealing with
knowledge). The Karma Kanda comprises the Brahmanas and the Samhitas.
This is the authority for the Purvamimamsa school founded by Jaimini.
The followers of this school deal with rituals and prescribe many of
them for attaining enjoyments and power here and happiness in heaven.
They regard this as the ultimate object of human existence. Ordinary
people are attracted by their panegyrics. The Jnana Kanda comprises
the Aranyakas and the Upanishads which deal with the nature of Brahman
or the Supreme Self.
Life in heaven is also transitory. After the fruits of the good
actions are exhausted, one has to come back to this earth-plane.
Liberation or Moksha can only be attained by knowledge of the Self but
not by performing a thousand and one sacrifices.
Lord Krishna assigns a comparatively inferior position to the doctrine
of the Mimamsakas of performing Vedic sacrifices for obtaining heaven,
power and lordship in this world as they cannot give us final
liberation.
कामात्मानः स्वर्गपरा जन्मकर्मफलप्रदाम् ।
क्रियाविशेषबहुलां भोगैश्वर्यगतिं प्रति ।। (४३)
Full of desires, having heaven as their goal, (they utter speech which
is directed to ends) leading to new births as the result of their
works, and prescribe various methods abounding in specific actions,
for the attainment of pleasure and power. (43)
भौगेश्वर्यप्रसक्तानां तयापहृतचेतसाम् ।
व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः समाधौ न विधीयते ।। (४४)
For those who are attached to pleasure and power, whose minds are
drawn away by such teaching, that determinate reason is not formed
which is steadily bent on meditation and Samadhi (superconscious
state). (44)
Commentary : Those who cling to pleasure and power cannot have
steadiness of mind. They cannot concentrate or meditate. They are ever
busy in planning projects or acquisition of wealth and power. Their
minds are ever restless. They have no poised