Sloka Text in Devanagari, Kannada, Gujarati, Telugu, English

||om tat sat||
Sanjaya said:
तं तथा कृपया विष्टं अश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम् |
विषीदंत मिदं वाक्यं उवाच मथुसूदनः ||1||
"Madhusudana uttered the following words to him who has been filled with pity,
whose eyes were filled with tears showing distress and who is in grief"

श्रीमद्भगवद्गीत
सांख्य योगः
द्वितीयोऽध्यायः

Bhagavad-Gita Samkhya Yoga

At the end of Chapter one, we heard Arjuna say that he does not desire victory or the kingdom. He goes on to say that it is better that he, unarmed, is killed by the armed Kauravas, than his having to demolish the Kauravas to enjoy the kingdom. Having said that Arjuna tells Krishna that he wants to quit the battle. Then Sanjaya says Arjuna threw down his arms and with his mind drenched in sorrow sat down on the chariot.

Chapter 2 starts with Sanjaya describing the mental and physical state of Arjuna. Then the dialogue of Krishna and Arjuna starts. Through this chapter Krishna brings out three thoughts. First is about Self or Atma. The second is about the impermanency of body which we see passing through various stages of life before the death. And the third is about our duty. All these are brought forth one after another in a step-by-step fashion to counter Arjuna's grief.

So we start with the chapter with Sanjaya describing Arjuna's physical mental afflictions.

|| Sloka 1||

तं तथा कृपयाऽऽविष्टं अश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम् |
विषीदन्त मिदं वाक्यं उवाच मधुसूदनः ||1||

स॥ तथा कृपया अविष्टं अश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणं विषीदंतं तं ( अर्जुनं) मधुसूदनः इदं वाक्यं उवाच ||

||Sloka meanings||

तथा कृपया अविष्टं - then for one filled with pity
अश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणं- one with eyes filled with tears and showing distress
विषीदंतं तं- one who is sorrowing
मधुसूदनः इदं वाक्यं उवाच- Krishna spoke these words

||Sloka summary||
Sanjaya said:
"Then Krishna spoke these words to him who is filled with pity,
whose eyes are filled with tears and showed distress, who was in sorrow". ||1||

Sanjaya talks about Arjuna using the descriptions saying,
"शोकसंविग्न मानसं"
- "mind afflicted with sorrow",
"अश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम्
- "eyes filled with tears",
" विषीदंतं"
- "grieving."
Sanjaya captures the confused mental state of Arjuna perfectly.
Looking at Arjuna in that condition with a smile indicative of pity, Krishna says the following.

. ||Sloka 2||

श्री भगवानुवाच:
कुतस्त्वा कश्मलमिदं विषमे समुपस्थितम् |
अनार्य जुष्टं अस्वर्ग्यं अकीर्तिकरं अर्जुन ||2||

स॥ हे अर्जुन ! अनार्य जुष्टं अस्वर्ग्यं अकीर्तिकरं इदं कश्मलं विषमे त्वां कुतः समुपस्थितं ? ||2||

||Sloka meanings||

अनार्य जुष्टं - not entertained by enlightened people
अस्वर्ग्यं अकीर्तिकरं - that which does not lead to heaven, that which brings infamy
इदं कश्मलं - these impure thoughts
विषमे त्वां - in this critical time
कुतः समुपस्थितं - from where did this come

||Sloka summary||

"O Arjuna, at this critical time from where did you get these impure thoughts, not entertained by enlightened people
which does not lead to heaven, which brings infamy ?

Krishna tries to highlight the fact that Arjuna's thinking is not in line with that of enlightened people. That his thinking will lead to infamy.

|| Sloka 3||

क्लैब्यं मास्मगमः पार्थ नैतत् त्वय्युपपद्यते |
क्षुद्रं हृदय दौर्बल्यं त्वक्योत्तिष्ट परन्तप ||3||

स॥ हे पार्थ ! क्लैब्यं मास्म गमः एतत् त्वयि न उपपद्यते | हे परन्तप ! क्षुद्रं हृदय दौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वा उत्तिष्ठ ||

||Sloka meanings||

क्लैब्यं मास्म गमः - do not yield to unmanliness
एतत् त्वयि न उपपद्यते - this is not appropriate for you
हे परन्तप - o scorcher of foes
क्षुद्रं हृदय दौर्बल्यं - petty fainthearted ness
त्यक्त्वा उत्तिष्ठ - give up and arise

||Sloka summary||

"O Partha, do not yield to unmanliness, this is not appropriate for you.
O scorcher of foes, give up petty faintheartedness and arise." ||3||

Krishna tries to rouse Arjuna from the pitiable state he was in.
By invoking "He parantapa! ", (2.3) Krishna reminds Arjuna he is one who made enemies shudder!
Krishna tells Arjuna to get rid of his Hrudaya daurbalyam - faint heartedness and get on with the battle!!

Krishna's exhortations do not help. Arjuna's mental afflictions are not easy to get over. Arjuna continues in the same vein.

||Sloka 4||

अर्जुन उवाच:
कथं भीष्म महं संख्ये द्रोणं च मधुसूधन |
इषुभिः प्रतियोत्स्यामि पूजार्हावरिसूदन ||4||

स॥ हे मधुसूदन ! पूजार्हौ भीष्मं द्रोणं च संख्ये( युद्धे) अहं इषुभिः कथं प्रतियोत्स्यामि ||

||Sloka meanings||

कथं प्रतियोत्स्यामि - how shall I fight against (strike)
पूजार्हौ भीष्मं द्रोणं च - Bhishma and Drona worthy of adoration
संख्ये अहं इषुभिः - In the battle with arrows
||Sloka summary||

"O Madhusudana, how shall I strike Bhishma and Drona, worthy of adoration, In the battle with arrows". ||4||

In that sorrow, the word 'Parantapa - the scorcher of foes' did not make a difference.
Arjuna addresses Krishna as Madhusudana, the one who killed the Rakshasa Madhu, as though pointing out you killed a Rakshasa, but here how can I face adorable respectable Bhishma and Drona.
He continues in the same vein.

||Sloka 5||

गुरू नहत्वापि महानुभावान्
श्रेयोभोक्तुं बैक्षमपीहलोके |
हत्वा अर्थकामांस्तु गुरूनिहैव
भुञ्जीय भोगान् रुथिर प्रदिग्थान् ||5||

स॥महानुभावान् गुरून् अहत्वा इहलोके भैक्ष्यं अपि भोक्तुं श्रेयः हि | गुरून् हत्वातु इहैव रुधिर प्रदग्धान् अर्थकामान् भोगान् भुञ्जीय |

||Sloka meanings||

महानुभावान् गुरून् अहत्वा - not killing noble elders and teachers
इहलोके भैक्ष्यं भोक्तुं अपि - even eating alms in this world
श्रेयः हि - is surely better
गुरून् हत्वातु - if we kill teachers
रुधिर प्रदग्धान् - blood drenched
अर्थकामान् भोगान् - wealth of desirable things
इहैव भुञ्जीय- we shall enjoy here itself

||Sloka summary||

"Instead of killing noble elders and teachers
even eating alms in this world is surely better.
If we kill teachers, we shall enjoy here itself
blood drenched pleasures of wealth and desirable things." ||5||

Arjuna says 'It is better to beg for alms than killing Gurus'. Having conveyed his fears that Arjuna confesses to one more thing.

||श्लोकमु 6||

न चैतद्विद्मः कतरन्नो गरीयो
यद्वा जयेम यदि वानो जयेयुः।
यानेव हत्वा न जिजीविषामः
तेऽवस्थिताः प्रमुखे धार्तराष्ट्राः॥6||

स॥ नः कतरत् गरीयः एतत् च न विद्मः | जयेम यदि वा नः जयेयुः यदि वा ( न विद्मः) |
यान् हत्वा न जिजीविषामः ते धार्त राष्ट्रा एव प्रमुखे ( सम्मुखे) अवस्थिताः ||6||

||Sloka meanings||

नः कतरत् गरीयः - not know as to which is better for us
एतत् च न विद्मः - this also we do not know
जयेम यदि वा - we will be victorious
नः जयेयुः यदि वा - or we will be conquered
यान् हत्वा न जिजीविषामः - Killing whom we do not wish to live
ते धार्त राष्ट्रा एव प्रमुखे ( सम्मुखे) अवस्थिताः - those followers of Dhritarashtra are standing in the front
.
||Sloka summary||

"Not know as to which is better for us. This also we do not know whether we will be victorious
or we will be conquered. Killing whom we do not wish to live, those followers of Dhritarashtra are standing in the front."||6||

He is not sure what he should do. He says," न च एतत् विद्मः " even this we are not sure".
What is that he is not sure of? He is not sure whether it is better to win the war or be defeated.

This is characteristic of a person who cannot let go of anything.

||Sloka 7||

कार्पण्यदोषोऽपहतस्वभावः
पृच्चामि त्वां धर्म सम्मूढचेताः |
यत् श्रेयस्स्यान्निश्चितं ब्रूहितन्मे
शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम्॥7||

स॥ कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः (अहं) धर्म सम्मूढ चेताः त्वां प्रपच्छामि | यत् निश्चितं श्रेयः स्यात् तत् ब्रूहि | अहं ते शिष्यः | त्वां प्रपन्नं( शरणागतं) मां शाधि |

||Sloka meanings||

कार्पण्यदोषोपहतस्वभावः- one whose nature has been overpowered by the defect of a miser
धर्म सम्मूढ चेताः - one whose mind is bewildered by what is right or wrong
त्वां प्रपच्छामि - I am asking you.
यत् निश्चितं श्रेयः स्यात् - which is certain and good
तत् ब्रूहि - that you tell me
अहं ते शिष्यः - I am your disciple
त्वां प्रपन्नं मां शाधि - Taken you as my refuge. Instruct me

||Sloka summary||

"As one whose nature has been overpowered by the defect of miserliness, one whose mind is bewildered by what is right or wrong,
I am asking you. Tell me that which is certain and good. I am your disciple. Instruct me I have taken you as my refuge." ||7||

Then Arjuna confesses the truth. He is overpowered by the "taint of pity" and not sure about his duty.

Even in this sorrow Arjuna knows his problem. That is the sense of ownership which he does not wish to lose. That is the defect of miserliness. He wants know that which is good and certain, as well as that which is everlasting. He literally asks Krishna to order him on the next steps. He says, "शाधि मां", "order me."

||Sloka 8||

न हि प्रपश्यामि ममापनुद्यात्
यच्चोक मुच्छोषण मिन्द्रियाणाम्।
अवाप्य भूमा वसपत्न मृद्धं
राज्यं सुराणामपि चाधिपत्यम् ||8||

स॥ भूमौ असपत्नं ऋद्धं राज्यं अवाप्य( वा) सुराणां अधिपत्यं च (अवाप्य) अपि इन्द्रियाणाम् उच्छोषणम् मम शोकं यत् अपनुद्यात् तत् न प्रपस्यामि (पश्यामि) हि ||

||Sloka meanings||

ऋद्धं राज्यं अवाप्य- acquiring prosperous kingdom,
भूमौ असपत्नं - free from enemies on this earth
सुराणां अधिपत्यं च - or the lordship of devas
तत् न प्रपस्यामि (पश्यामि) हि - I am unable to see
यत् अपनुद्यात् - that which will remove
ममइन्द्रियाणाम् उच्छोषणम् शोकं- that sorrow which is blasting my senses

||Sloka summary||

"Even after acquiring prosperous kingdom, free from enemies on this earth, or the lordship of devas, I am unable to see that which can remove my sorrow, which is blasting my senses." ||8||

He literally begs Krishna to rid him of his Soka or sorrow.
He is not sure that he would be rid of sorrow, even if he gets the kingship of heaven or gets a kingdom which is rid of all enemies!

||Sloka 9||

संजय उवाच:
एवमुक्त्वा हृषीकेशं गुडाकेशः परंतपः।
न योत्स्ये इति गोविन्दं उक्त्वा तूष्णीं बभूव ह ||9||

स॥ परंतपः गुडाकेशः हृषीकेशं एवं उक्त्वा नयोत्स्ये इति गोविन्दं उक्त्वा तूष्णीं बभूव ह ||

||Sloka meanings||

परंतपः गुडाकेशः - Arjuna, the scorcher of the enemies
हृषीकेशं एवं उक्त्वा - having spoken thus to Krishna,
तूष्णीं बभूव ह - became silent,
नयोत्स्ये इति गोविन्दं उक्त्वा - telling to Govinda, "I will not fight"

||Sloka summary||

Sanjaya said:
"Arjuna, the scorcher of the enemies having spoken thus to Krishna,
telling to Govinda, "I will not fight", became silent. ||9||

From start of "दृष्ट्वा तु पांडवानीकम्."(1.2) in Chapter 1, till this point where in Arjuna says he cannot fight and sits down on the chariot silently, what is on display is the sorrow and delusion about attachments etc.

Arjuna is confused about what is right what is wrong.
He is swayed by ignorance and is in deep sorrow.
One in sorrow requires a solution.
First, he requires a knowledge which will enable him to find the solution and then implement the solution.

||श्लोकमु 10||

तं उवाच हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव भारत |
सेनयोरुभयोर्मध्ये विषीदन्तं इदं वचः॥10||

स॥ भारत ! उभयोः सेनयोः मध्ये विषीदन्तं तं ( अर्जुनम्) हृषीकेशः प्रहसन्निव इदं वचः उवाच ||

||Sloka meanings||

भारत - O King
तं - to him अर्जुनम्
उभयोः सेनयोः मध्ये विषीदन्तं- who is grieving in the middle of the two armies
हृषीकेशः - Krishna
प्रहसन्निव इदं वचः उवाच - mocking as it were said the following words

||Sloka summary||

Sanjaya said:
"O King, to him who is grieving in the middle of the two armies
mocking as it were, Krishna said the following words." ||10||

With Arjuna in that state of dejection and delusion,
Krishna starts his divine teaching to make Arjuna see the truth of the battle of life.
To get Arjuna out of this delusion or confusion the required tool is knowledge.

Knowledge about this complex of soul and body.
Specifically knowledge of "Self" and the impermanence of the body.
But Knowledge of Self is not acquired by reading or teachings
There has to be a way of acquiring that knowledge.
That is where the concept of action is to be brought in.
That action also has to be in a way that is not entangling one in to more of worldly ways
Krishna elaborates all of this in a step-by-step way.

Krishna's elaboration has one singular purpose.
It is about Arjuna understanding and acquiring the knowledge so that he can decide for himself.
Although Arjuna said "शाधि मां" (2.07), "order me" to do the right thing,
Krishna sees his role as only as a teacher giving that knowledge which will enable Arjuna to act.
At the end in the chapter eighteen, Krishna says "यथेच्छसि तदा कुरु". It means, "do what you think is right!".
Of course, Arjuna falls in line!!

With that goal in mind Krishna starts the discourse of Gita with Sloka 2.11.

||Sloka 11||

श्री भगवानुवाच
अशोच्या नन्वशोचस्त्वं प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे |
गतासू नगतासूंश्च नानु शोचन्ति पण्डिताः ||11||

स॥ त्वं अशोच्यान् अन्वशोचः | प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे | पण्डिताः गतसून् अगतसून् च न अनुशोचन्ति॥

॥Sloka meanings||

त्वं अशोच्यान् अन्वशोचः - You grieve for those not to be grieved for
प्रज्ञावादांश्च भाषसे - speak the words of wisdom
पण्डिताः न अनुशोचन्ति - learned do not grieve
गतसून् अगतसून् - for those who have departed and those who have not departed

||Sloka summary||

"You grieve for those not to be grieved for, and speak the words of wisdom.
learned do not grieve for those who have departed and those who have not departed."||11||

Why one should not grieve for them (Bhishma etc) is a legitimate question.
Because they are eternal.

||Sloka 12||

नत्वेवाहं जातु नासं नत्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः |
न चैव न भविष्यामः सर्वे वयमतः परम् || 12||

स॥ अहं जातु नासं (इति) न तु एव | त्वं न असीः इति न | इमे जनाधिपः ( न आसन् इति) न | अतः परं वयं सर्वे न भविष्यामः (इति) च न एव ||12||

||Sloka meanings||

अहं जातु नासं (इति) न तु एव - certainly not that I did not exist before
त्वं न असीः इति न - not that you did not.
इमे जनाधिपः ( न आसन् इति) न - not that these kings .
अतः परं - after this
च न एव - not that
वयं सर्वे न भविष्यामः - all of us will not exist

||Sloka summary||

"Certainly not that I did not exist before, not that you did not, nor these kings. Not that, after this
all of us will not exist"||12||

So you, me and all the kings etc, are eternal
How?

||Sloka 13||

देहिनो अस्मिन् यथा देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा |
तथा देहान्तरप्राप्तिः धीरः तत्र नमुह्यति ||13||

स॥ देहिनः अस्मिन् देहे कौमारं यौवनं जरा यथा ( भवति) तथा देहान्तर प्राप्तिः ( भवति) | तत्र धीरः न मुह्यति ||13||

||Sloka meanings||

यथा कौमारं यौवनं जरा - as are boyhood, youth and old age
देहिनः अस्मिन् देहे - (for) the embedded being in this body
तथा देहान्तर प्राप्तिः - similar is attaining another body
तत्र धीरः न मुह्यति - That being so the enlightened do not grieve.

||Sloka summary||

"As are boyhood, youth, and old age for the embedded being in this body,
similar is attaining another body. That being so the enlightened do not grieve.

"||13||

The embodied body passes through the stages of boyhood, youth, old age, and decay.
After death, it is another stage where he ("देही") enters another body.

The "देही", or Self does not change as it moves through various stages of boyhood, youth middle age-old age and decay. Self remains same. Self is not dead or born again after every stage. So, it does not change in the stage after death too.

Thus "देही," or "Self" is eternal. So Krishna starts the teaching of the knowledge of Self.

||Sloka 14||

मात्रा स्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्ण सुखदुःखदाः |
अगमापायिनोऽनित्याः तां स्तितिक्षस्व भारत ||14||

स॥ हे कौन्तेय ! मात्रा स्पर्शास्तु शीतोष्ण सुख दुःखदाः अगमापायिनः | अनित्याः |हे भारत ! तान् तितीक्षस्व ||14||

||Sloka meanings||

मात्रा स्पर्शास्तु - contact of senses with their objects
शीतोष्ण सुख दुःखदाः - are the cause of , happiness, sorrow heat and cold .
अगमापायिनः- these come and go
अनित्याः- transient.
हे भारत ! तान् तितीक्षस्व - O Arjuna bear with them .

||Sloka summary||

"Contact of senses with their objects are the cause of happiness, sorrow, heat and cold.
These come and go. And are transient. O Arjuna, bear with them ". ||14||

Starting thus Krishna teaches Arjuna about the knowledge of Self.
Self being eternal, death is not be grieved.

Granting that "Self" is eternal and not to be grieved on the account of death, there is still possibility of grief.
The sense organs are always interacting in the world of objects.
That interplay of sense organs generates the opposites namely pleasure and pain, happiness and sorrow, heat and cold etc.
The body suffers from being exposed to heat and cold as well as pleasure and pain.
Self may be eternal; the body is not.
Thus there is scope for grief because of these and other worldly variables.

For that Krishna says, "तितीक्षस्व", bear that pain due to pleasure and pain or other dualities.
So if we bear the pain, what do we gain?
Krishna answers that too.

||Sloka 15||

यं हि न व्यधयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ।
सम दुःख सुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते ||15||

स॥ हे पुरुषर्षभ ! एते सम दुःखं सुखं धीरं यं पुरुषं न व्यधयंति सः ( पुरुषः ) अमृतत्वाय ( मोक्षाय) कल्पते ||15||

||Sloka meanings||

सम दुःखं सुखं - The one who is same in happiness and sorrow
सम धीरं - the wiseman
यं पुरुषं न व्यधयंति - the person whom these do not agitate
सः अमृतत्वाय कल्पते - he (that person) is fit for immortality

||Sloka summary||

"O best of men, the person, whom these do not agitate, who is same in happiness and sorrow,
who is wise, becomes fit indeed for immortality"? ||15||

Thus, though one may not grieve since Self is eternal, but faced with heat and cold as well as the pleasure and pain one may be in a condition to grieve. Here Krishna's direction is to bear with the pleasure and pain etc.
In that process you develop the ability to be immune to the dualities of life. That will make you to be fit for Moksha.

So, again Krishna concludes that there is no scope for grief.

That is not all. Krishna proposes another reason for bearing the heat and cold and abandon the grief.
That reason is the unreality of the dualities, pleasure, and pain as well as heat and cold.
The unreality is related to the temporary nature of these dualities.

||श्लोकमु 16||

नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः |
उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोः तत्व दर्शिभिः ||16||

स॥ असतः भावः न विद्यते | सतः अभावः न विद्यते |अनयोः उभयोः अपि अंतः तु तत्व दर्शिभिः दृष्ठः ||

||Sloka meanings||

असतः भावः न विद्यते - the unreal does not exist
सतः अभावः न विद्यते - the real has no nonexistence
अनयोः उभयोः अपि अंतः तु - the nature of both these
तत्व दर्शिभिः दृष्ठः - known by those who see the truth.

||Sloka meanings||

"The unreal does not exist. The real has no nonexistence. The nature of both these
known by those who see the truth." ||16||

Krishna says, the unreal has no existence.
Non-existence is not possible for the real one.

Heat etc are effects. They exist through the organs of perception (touch for example) for some time and disappear.
They are temporary.
They are not eternal.
They are not real.
For such unreal things which cause grief, bear them there is no need to grieve.

||Sloka 17||

अविनाशितु तद्विद्धि येन सर्व मिदं ततं |
विनाश मव्यय स्यास्य नकश्चित् कर्तुमर्हति ||17||

स॥ इदं सर्वं येन ततम् ( व्यापितं) तत् तु अविनाशि (इति) विद्धि |अस्य अव्ययस्य विनाशम् कश्चित् कर्तुं न अर्हति ||17||

||Sloka meanings||

इदं सर्वं येन ततम्- by which the whole world has been pervaded
तत् तु अविनाशि (इति) विद्धि - know that as imperishable
अस्य अव्ययस्य - of that imperishable
कश्चित् न विनाशम् कर्तुं अर्हति - no one can bring about destruction

||Sloka meanings||

"By which the whole world has been pervaded, know that as imperishable.
No one can bring about destruction of that imperishable."||17||

The reality is imperishable.
The reality by which all this universe is pervaded is imperishable and it cannot be destroyed

||Sloka 18||

अन्तवन्त इमे देहाः नित्यस्स्योक्ताः शरीरिणः।
अनाशिनोऽप्रमेयस्य तस्माद्युध्यस्व भारत ||18||

स॥ नित्यस्य अनाशिनः अप्रमेयस्य शरीरिणः ( आत्मस्य) इमे देहाः अन्त वन्तः (इति) उक्ताः | तस्मात् युध्यस्व ||

||Sloka meanings||

इमे देहाः - these bodies (of)
नित्यस्य अनाशिनः - everlasting indestructible
अप्रमेयस्य- incomprehensible
शरीरिणः- self in this embodied body
अन्त वन्तः (इति) उक्ताः - are spoken of as having an end.
तस्मात् युध्यस्व - Hence O Arjuna fight.

||Sloka meanings||

"These bodies (of) everlasting indestructible incomprehensible Self, in this embodied body, are spoken of as having an end.
Hence, O Arjuna, fight." ||18||

The bodies of the embodied Self which is eternal do have an end.
And only the Self is eternal.
Knowing this, there is no need to grieve.
So Krishna says get ready and do the battle

Krishna now elaborates further on "Self" and body.

The body is not there before birth and is not there after death.
But the eternal "Self" cannot be killed by anyone.
He is not born, nor does he die.
.
||Sloka 19||

य एनं वेत्ति हन्तारम् यश्चैनं मन्यते हतं |
उभौ तौ न विजानीतो नायं हन्ति न हन्यते ||19||

स॥यः एनं (अत्मन्) हन्तारं वेत्ति यः एनं( अत्मन्) हतं मन्यते तौ उभौ न विजानीतः |अयं ( अत्म) न हंति न हन्यते च ||19||

||Sloka meanings||

यः एनं (अत्मन्) हन्तारं वेत्ति - Whoever thinks of this (Self) as the one killing
यः एनं( अत्मन्) हतं मन्यते - whoever thinks this (Self) as the one being killed
उभौ न विजानीतः - both of them do not know
अयं ( अत्म) न हंति न हन्यते च - This does not kill nor does it get killed

||Sloka summary||

"Whoever thinks of this Self as the one killing,
whoever thinks the Self as the one being killed, both of them do not know.
This Self does not kill nor does it get killed." ||19||

||Sloka 20||

न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचित्
नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः |
अजो नित्य श्शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे ||20||

स॥ अयम् ( आत्मा) कदाचित् न जायते | न म्रियते वा | न भूत्वा भूयः न भवितान | अयं अजः नित्यः | शाश्वतः | पुराणः |शरीरे हन्यमाने (सति) न हन्यते ||20||

||Sloka meanings||

अयम् ( आत्मा) कदाचित् न जायते - this one is never born
न म्रियते वा - nor does it die.
न भूत्वा भूयः न भवितान - having been born never ceases to be again.
अयं अजः नित्यः - this one is birthless and eternal.
शाश्वतः पुराणः - everlasting and ancient..
शरीरे हन्यमाने (सति) न हन्यते - not killed though the body is killed.
.
||Sloka summary||

"This one is never born, nor does it die. Having been born, never ceases to be again.
This one is birthless, eternal, everlasting and ancient.
Not killed, though the body is killed". ||20||

||Sloka 21||

वेद विनाशिनं नित्यं य एन मज मव्ययम्।
कथं स पुरुषः पार्थ कं घातयति हन्ति कं ||21||

स॥ हे पार्थ ! यः येनं ( आत्मन्) अजम् अव्ययं (वेद) अविनाशिनं (वेद) नित्यं वेद पुरुषः कथं (घातयति) कं घातयति कं हन्ति ||21||

||Sloka meanings||

कथं- how
यः पुरुषः येनं ( आत्मन्) अजम् - the one person who knows of this (Self) as birthless
अव्ययं अविनाशिनं - imperishable, indestructible
नित्यं वेद - knows as eternal
सः कं घातयति कं हन्ति - how does he slay and whom does he slay

||Sloka summary||

"One, who knows of this (Self) as birthless, imperishable, indestructible, knows it as eternal,
how does he slay and whom does he slay."? ||21||

One who realizes this eternal truth about Self, how will he kill or whom will he kill?
The Self has no birth or death, for the Self moves from one body to another body.
This is elaborated further.

||Sloka 22||

वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय
नवानि गृह्णाति नरोऽपराणि।
तथा शरीरानि विहाय जीर्णान्
अन्यानि संयाति नवानि देहे॥22||

स॥ यथा नरः जीर्णानि वासांसि विहाय अपराणि नवानि वासांसि गृह्णाति तथा देही ( आत्मन्) शरीराणि विहाय अन्यानि नवानि शरीराणि संयाति ||22||

||Sloka meanings||

यथा नरः - just like a man
जीर्णानि वासांसि विहाय - discards worn out clothes
अपराणि नवानि वासांसि गृह्णाति - wears other new clothes
तथा देही ( आत्मन्) शरीराणि विहाय- similarly the embedded being ( Self) leaving the body
अन्यानि नवानि शरीराणि संयाति - proceeds to take up another body.

||Sloka summary||

"Just like a man discard worn out clothes, wears other new clothes,
the embedded being Self leaving the body proceeds to take up another body." ||22||

||Sloka 23||

नैनं चिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः |
न चैनं क्लेदयन्त्यापो न शोषयति मारुतः ||23||

स॥ एनं( आत्मन्) शस्त्राणि न चिन्दन्ति | पावकः एनं( अत्मन्) न दहति | आपः च एनं( आत्मन्) न क्लेदयंति | एनं आत्मन् मारुतः न शोषयति ||23||

||Sloka meanings||

एनं( आत्मन्) शस्त्राणि न चिन्दन्ति - weapons do not cut it
पावकः एनं( अत्मन्) न दहति - fire cannot burn it
आपः च एनं( आत्मन्) न क्लेदयंति - water does not wet it
एनं आत्मन् मारुतः न शोषयति - the wind cannot dry it

||Sloka summary||

"Weapons do not cut it. Fire cannot burn it.
Water does not wet it. The wind cannot dry it." ||23||

||Sloka 24||

अच्छेद्योऽयं अदाह्योऽयं अक्लेद्योऽशोष्य एवच |
नित्य सर्व गतः स्थाणुः अचलोऽयं सनातनः ||24||

स॥ अयं( अत्मा) अच्छेद्यः | अयम् ( अत्मा) अदाह्यः | (अयं अत्मा) अक्लेद्यः। ( अयं अत्मा) अशोष्यः एव च |अयं नित्यः | अयं सर्वगतः | अयं स्थाणुः | अयं अचलः | अयं सनातनः ||24||

||Sloka meanings||

अयं( अत्मा) अच्छेद्यः - this( Self) cannot be cut
अयम् ( अत्मा) अदाह्यः - This cannot be burnt.
(अयं अत्मा) अक्लेद्यः- This cannot be made wet
अशोष्यः एव च - This cannot be dried
अयं नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुः - This is eternal, all pervasive, stable
अयं अचलः सनातनः - This is immovable and ancient

||Sloka summary||

"This (Self) cannot be cut. This cannot be burnt.
This cannot be made wet. This cannot be dried
This is eternal, all pervasive, stable. This is immovable and ancient." ||24||
.
Thus, continuing his teaching of "Self", Krishna tells us all about the Self.

This Self cannot cut by weapons.
This Self cannot be burnt by fire.
Water cannot wet this Self.
The air does not dry it Self.
This Self is invisible
This Self is unthinkable, since it cannot be perceived by the organs of perception
This Self has no changes or modifications
Self has no death. It moves from body to body.
Just as a man casts off the old clothes and wears new ones, the Self too leaves the decaying body and enters a new one

Krishna says "knowing this Self which is not visible to organs of perception, unthinkable, and unchangeable, one does not grieve".

||Sloka 25||

अव्यक्तोऽयं अचिंत्योऽय्म् अविकार्योऽयमुच्यते।
तस्मात् एवं विदित्वैनं नानु शोचितु मर्हसि ||25||

स॥ अयं अत्मा अव्यक्तः अयं अचिन्त्यः अयं अविकार्यः इति उच्यते | तस्मात् एनं (अत्मन्) एवं विदित्वा अनुशोचितुं न अर्हसि॥25||

||Sloka meanings||

अयं अत्मा अव्यक्तः - this Self is unmanifest.
अयं अचिन्त्यः - This is imponderable.. .
अविकार्यः इति उच्यते - this is said to be immutable.
तस्मात् एनं (अत्मन्) एवं विदित्वा - Hence knowing this( self) thus
अनुशोचितुं न अर्हसि- you shall not grieve..

||Sloka summary||

"This Self is unmanifest. This is imponderable.
This is said to be immutable. Hence knowing this self thus
you shall not grieve." ||25||

Krishna having established the argument that with a Self that is eternal which cannot be destroyed, there is no need to grieve about death, brings up one more line of reasoning where by grief is again not needed.

Krishna says, "Let us suppose that the Self is not eternal, even then the argument continues. There is no need for grief.
When it is said Self is not eternal, it is meant that Self is also born again and dies again. Krishna elaborates this thought in the next Sloka

||Sloka 26||

अथ चैनं नित्य जातं नित्यं वा मन्यसे मृतं।
तथापि त्वम् महाबाहो नैवं शोचितु मर्हसि ||26||

स॥ हे महाबाहो ! अथ च एनं (अत्मन्) नित्य जातं वा नित्यं मृतं वा मन्यसे तथा अपि एवम् शोचितुम् त्वं न अर्हसि ||26||

||Sloka meanings||

अथ च एनं (अत्मन्) - If this (Self) is
नित्य जातं वा नित्यं मृतं मन्यसे- you think always born and always dying
तथा अपि त्वं - then also you
एवम् शोचितुम् न अर्हसि - ought not grieve like this

||Sloka summary||

"If you think this Self is always born and always dies, then also, O hero, you ought not to grieve ". ||26||

When the Self is eternal, the death has no meaning and hence is not to grieved.
But if it is not eternal, then there is birth and death. Krishna elaborates, why one should not grieve?.

||Sloka 27||

जातस्य हि ध्रुवोमृत्युः ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च |
तस्मादपरिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितु मर्हसि ||27||

स॥ जातस्य मृत्युः धृवः हि | मृतस्य जन्म च धृवं | तस्मात् त्वं शोचितुम् न अर्हसि ||27||

||Sloka meanings||

जातस्य मृत्युः धृवः हि- for one who is born death is certain.
मृतस्य जन्म च धृवं - birth is certain for one who dies
तस्मात् त्वं शोचितुम् न अर्हसि - Hence you should not grieve

||Sloka summary||

"For one who is born death is certain.
Birth is certain for one who dies. Hence you should not grieve." ||27||

Once a person is born, the death is certain. Once a person is dead, he is to be born again. The point being made is that, for such known, certain event such as death, there is no need to grieve.
||Sloka 28||

अव्यक्तादीनि भूतानि व्यक्त मध्यानि भारत |
अव्यक्त निधनान्येन तत्र का परिदेवना ||28||

स॥ हे भारत ! भूतानि अव्यक्तादीनि व्यक्त मध्यानि अव्यक्त निधनान्येव ( भवंति) | तत्र परिदेवना का ||28||

||Sloka meanings||

भूतानि अव्यक्तादीनि - beings are unmanifest in the beginning
व्यक्त मध्यानि - manifest in the middle
अव्यक्त निधनान्येव - they are unmanifest after death
तत्र परिदेवना का - so why grieve?

||Sloka summary||

"Oh Arjuna, beings are unmanifest in the beginning. Manifest in the middle. They are unmanifest after death.
So why grieve?" ||28||

This line of argument may be summarized as follows.
Having clinched the argument for no grief since Self is eternal, Krishna discusses the possibility that may be Self is not eternal.
Krishna says even then there is no need to grieve because birth and death are certain for one who is born or dead.
So, the birth and death are unavoidable events of life.
Since they are unavoidable, there is no need to grieve.
In addition, the beings are not known before birth.
We only see them in the middle. Beings are again not seen after death.
Thus, the beings come from an unseen state and move back to the unseen state.
For such a being why grieve?

Thus, from the point of view of absolute truth, life and death, there is no need to grieve.

Thus, the argument is completed to say that there is no need to grieve.

||Sloka 29||

अश्चर्यवत् पश्यति कश्चिदेनं
आश्चर्यवत् वदति तथैव चान्यः।
आश्चर्यवच्चैन मन्य श्रुणोति
श्रुत्वाप्येनं वेद न चैव कश्चित् ||29||

स॥कश्चित् एनं (आत्मन्) अश्चर्यवत् पश्यति | तथैव कश्चित् एनं (आत्मन्) अश्चर्यवत् वदति | अन्यः च एनं (आत्मन्) आश्चर्यवत् शृणोति | श्रुत्वा अपि एनं कश्चित् च न वेद एव ||29||

||Sloka meanings||

कश्चित् एनं (आत्मन्) अश्चर्यवत् पश्यति - Some see this as a wonder
तथैव कश्चित् एनं (आत्मन्) अश्चर्यवत् वदति - Some speak of this as wonder
अन्यः च एनं (आत्मन्) आश्चर्यवत् शृणोति -Some hear of this as wonder.
श्रुत्वा अपि एनं कश्चित् च न वेद एव - even after hearing no one knows for sure.
.

||Sloka summary||

"Some see this as a wonder
Some speak of this as wonder. Some hear of this as wonder.
Even after hearing, no one knows for sure"||30||

Having concluded the arguments about grief and death in the earlier Slokas, Krishna reverts to the complex topic of Self.

For many people the Self is a complex subject. It is not seen and so it is wonder. Even after one hears and reads one may not comprehend until one experiences the same. That is the point being made here.

||Sloka 30||

देहे नित्यमवध्योऽयं देहे सर्वस्य भारत |
तस्मात् सर्वाणि भूतानि न त्वं शोचितुमर्हसि || 30||

स॥ हे भारत ! सर्वस्य देहे अयं देही ( अत्मा) नित्यं अवध्यः | तस्मात् सर्वाणि भूतानि त्वं शोचितुं न अर्हसि ||30||

||Sloka meanings||

सर्वस्य देहे अयं देही - this Self-residing in all bodies
नित्यं अवध्यः - eternally indestructible
तस्मात् सर्वाणि भूतानि - hence about all beings
त्वं शोचितुं न अर्हसि - you ought not to grieve

||Sloka summary||

"O Bharata, this Self-residing in all bodies is eternally indestructible.
Hence you ought not to grieve about all beings." ||30||

This Self is not easily understood. It cannot be seen and so it remains a wonder. This Self cannot also be killed. Even if the body is killed, the Self is not killed. Hence there is no need to grieve for the death of Bhishma, Drona, and others whom you respect.
The arguments, based on the eternality of Self and hence not grieve, are thus complete.
This should be enough for Arjuna to accept Krishna's direction.

Krishna now continues further arguments.

||Sloka 31||

स्वधर्मपि चावेक्ष्य न विकम्पितु मर्हसि |
धर्म्याद्धि युद्धात् श्रेयोऽन्यत् क्षत्रियस्य न विद्यते ||31||

स॥ स्वधर्मं अवेक्ष्य विकम्पितुं न अर्हसि च | क्षत्रियस्य धर्म्यात् युद्धात् अन्यत् श्रेयः न विद्यते ||31||

||Sloka meanings||

स्वधर्मं अवेक्ष्य - Looking at your own duty
विकम्पितुं न अर्हसि च - shall not waver
क्षत्रियस्य धर्म्यात् - Among the duties of warriors
युद्धात् अन्यत् श्रेयः न विद्यते हि - there is no other better than battle

||Sloka summary||

"Looking at your own duty
shall not waver. Among all the duties of warriors there is no other better than battle". ||31||

Here, Krishna moves away from the arguments based on absolute truth, and asks Arjuna to look at this from the point of view of one's duty (स्वधर्म). Krishna says we are born to perform our duties. So if we look at our own duty also there is no need to be waver from the battle or grieve for the elders!

How? The reasoning is simple.

"Fighting for a just cause is the duty of the warriors.
There can be no greater good that can accrue to a warrior than fighting a righteous battle.
The chance to attain heavens in a battle is rare.
If one forsakes his duty and shies away from the battle, he will court infamy of shirking his duty.
If one attains death in battle, he courts heavens. On the other hand, if he wins, he gains the kingdom".

So, we hear a logical sequence of thoughts, proceeding from the point of view of performing one's own duty.
And in the case of Arjuna, it is his duty to take part in a righteous battle.

Interestingly, Mahabharata has a story about a message sent by Kunti through Krishna to Bhima and Arjuna before the war. Kunti tells Krishna to remind Arjuna and Bhima, that the reason why every warrior mother wishes for the birth of a son has arrived in the form of battle. Krishna seems to have that on his mind in bringing up this logic of a warrior's duty.

||Sloka 32||

यदृच्चया चोपपन्नं स्वर्गद्वारमपावृतम्।
सुखिनः क्षत्रियाः पार्थ लभंते युद्ध मीदृशम् ||32||

स॥ हे पार्थ! यदृच्छया उपपन्नम् अपावृतं स्वर्गद्वारं ईदृशम् युद्धं (ये) क्षत्रियाः लभन्ते ते सुखिनः ||32||

||Sloka meanings||

यदृच्छया उपपन्नम् - that which presents itself unsought for
अपावृतं स्वर्गद्वारं - open gate to heaven
ईदृशम् युद्धं - this kind of battle
(ये) क्षत्रियाः लभन्ते- the warriors who get this
ते सुखिनः - they are happy

||Sloka summary||

"The warriors who get this kind of battle, which presents itself unsought for
which is an open gate to heaven, are happy "? ||32||

||Sloka 33||

अथ चेत्त्वमिमं धर्म्यं संग्रामं न करिष्यसि |
ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिंच हित्वा पाप मवाप्ससि ||33||

स॥ अथ त्वं इमम् धर्म्यं संग्रामम् न करिष्यति चेत् ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिंच हित्वा पापं अवाप्स्यसि ||33||

||Sloka meanings||

अथ त्वं इमम् - in the event you
धर्म्यं संग्रामम् न करिष्यति - do not undertake this righteous battle,
ततः स्वधर्मं कीर्तिंच हित्वा - then forsaking your duty and fame
पापं अवाप्स्यसि - incur sin

||Sloka summary||

"In the event you do not undertake this righteous battle, then forsaking your duty and fame, you incur sin." ||33||

Krishna tells Arjuna it is his duty to fight. But on the other hand if he does not fight this battle that conforms with the rules of righteousness, for that very reason of abandoning the law of the life of a warrior, he will incur sin. Arjuna will also lose the fame of having fought glorious battles like the one with Siva. That is the implication here.

||Sloka 34||

अकीर्तिं चापि भूतानि कथयिष्यंति तेऽव्ययाम् |
संभावितस्य चा कीर्तिः मरणादतिरित्यते ||34||

स॥ भूतानि ते अव्ययां अकीर्तिं कथयिष्यंति अपि च | संभावितस्य अकीर्तिः मरणात् च अतिरिच्यते (अधिकं भवति) ||34||

||Sloka meanings||

ते अव्ययां अकीर्तिं- your long lasting infamy
भूतानि कथयिष्यंति अपि च -people will also speak of
संभावितस्य अकीर्तिः - For a an honored person the infamy
मरणात् च अतिरिच्यते - is worse than death

||Sloka summary||

"People will also speak of your long-lasting infamy. For an honored person the infamy
is worse than death." ||34||

Krishna is highlighting popular belief that for an honorable man death is preferable to infamy.

||Sloka 35||

भयाद्रणा दुपरतंमन्यंते त्वां महरथाः।
येषां च त्वं बहुमतो भूत्वा यास्यसि लाघवम्॥35||

स॥ येषाम् त्वं बहुमतः भूत्वा लाघवं यास्यसि (ते) महारथाः त्वाम् रणात् भयात् उपरतं मन्यंते च ||35||

||Sloka meanings||

येषाम् त्वं बहुमतः भूत्वा- among those who have honored you
लाघवं यास्यसि - (you) fall in their esteem
महारथाः त्वाम् - The great warriors think of you
भयात् रणात् उपरतं मन्यंते च - as having withdrawn from the battle out of fear

||Sloka summary||

"Among those who have honored you, you fall in their esteem. The great warriors think of you
as having withdrawn from the battle out of fear". ||35||

Krishna reminds Arjuna that he is honored by many because of prowess in many battles, like the one with Siva in his quest for Pasupatastra. Talking about running away from the battle, Krishna says that people will attribute fear of Karna as the cause of his withdrawing from the battle.

||Sloka 36||

अवाच्य वादांश्च बहून् वदिष्यंति तवाहिताः |
निन्दन्तस्तव सामर्थ्यं ततो दुःखतरं नु किम्॥36||

स॥ तव अवहिताः ( शत्रुः) तव सामर्थ्यं निंदतः बहून् अवाच्य वादांश्च वदिष्यंति | ततः दुःखतरं किम्?॥36||

||Sloka meanings||

तव अवहिताः - your enemies
तव सामर्थ्यं निंदतः - question your competence
बहून् अवाच्य वादांश्च वदिष्यंति -
speak many unmentionable words
ततः दुःखतरं किम्?- what can be more sorrowful than that?

||Sloka summary||

"Your enemies will question your competence. They will speak many unmentionable words
What can be more sorrowful than that?" ||36||

Now Krishna raises the battle cry.

||Sloka 37||

हतो वा प्राप्स्यसे स्वर्गं जित्वा वा भोक्ष्यसे महीम्।
तस्मादुत्तिष्ट कौन्तेय युद्धाय कृत निश्चयः ||37||

स॥ हे कौन्तेय ! हतो वा स्वर्गं प्राप्यसे | जित्वा वा महीम् भोक्ष्यसे | तस्मात् युद्धाय कृत निश्चयः उत्तिष्ठ ||37||

||Sloka meanings||

हतो वा स्वर्गं प्राप्यसे being killed you attain heaven
जित्वा वा महीम् भोक्ष्यसे - being victorious you will enjoy the earth
तस्मात् युद्धाय कृत निश्चयः - Hence being determined to fight
उत्तिष्ठ- arise.

||Sloka summary||

"Being killed you attain heaven. Being victorious you will enjoy the earth.
Hence Arjuna, being determined to fight arise."||37||

This is the battle cry.
If one attains death in battle, he courts heavens.
On the other hand, if he wins, he gains the kingdom.

Saying, "उत्तिष्ठ", Krishna urges Arjuna to raise to the challenge.
How should one take up such challenges in life?
Krishna dwells on this in the next Sloka, which is also addressed to all beyond the immediate listener in Arjuna.

||Sloka 38||

सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ |
ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि॥38||

स॥ सुख दुःखे लाभा लाभौ जया जयौ समेकृत्वा ततः युद्धाय युज्यस्व। एवम् ( चेत्) पापं न अवाप्स्यसि॥38||

||Sloka meanings||

सुख दुःखे लाभा लाभौ - happiness and sorrow as also gain or loss
जया जयौ - victory and defeat
समेकृत्वा- treating them as equal
ततः युद्धाय युज्यस्व- be ready for the battle.
एवम् ( चेत्) पापं न अवाप्स्यसि-then you will not incur the sin

||Sloka summary||

"Treating happiness and sorrow as also gain or loss
and, victory and defeat as equal be ready for the battle. Then you will not incur the sin". ||38||

The sum and substance being ready for action is equanimity. Treat the dualities of victory and defeat, happiness, and sorrow, gain and loss with a sense of equanimity. Then one will not impact by the result.

Considerations of worldly wisdom (in Slokas 2.31 -36) were cited here with a view to dispel grief and delusion of killing his own people, but not as an end in itself. What is more relevant in the context is the perception of ultimate reality following the precepts of Samkhya Yoga which have been elaborated from Slokas 2.11 onwards. This is a conclusion of the Samkhya Yoga part of this discussion.

||Sloka 39||

एषा तेऽभिहिते सांख्ये बुद्धि र्योगे त्विमां श्रुणु |
बुद्ध्यायुक्तो यया पार्थ कर्मबन्धं प्रहास्यसि ||39||

स॥ हे पार्थ ! सांख्ये एषा बुद्धिः ते अभिहिता | यया बुद्ध्या युक्तः कर्मबंधं प्रहास्यसि तां योगेतु इमां शृणु॥39||

||Sloka meanings||

सांख्ये एषा बुद्धिः - this knowledge imparted in Samkhya
ते अभिहिता - has been taught to you
यया बुद्ध्या युक्तः - that knowledge equipped with which
कर्मबंधं प्रहास्यसि - be free of bondage created by action
तां योगेतु इमां शृणु- that yoga hear now

||Sloka summary||

"This knowledge taught in Samkhya been imparted to you. Now you hear that knowledge of Yoga, equipped with which
you will be free of bondage created by action ". ||39||

Thus Samkhya yoga, elaborating on ultimate reality is now concluded here by Krishna.

But Krishna does not stop with the teaching of the knowledge of Self and Samkhya Yoga.
Now comes a further thought
One must acquire that knowledge of Self.
The knowledge of Self is not one acquired by hearing or by reading or listening.
Among thousands of practitioners one may achieve the status of discovering Self.
So how does one acquire this knowledge of Self.
Acquiring the knowledge of Self, requires one to be free of attachments or bondages

So here Krishna tells Arjuna, that what he taught so far is the Yoga of Knowledge.
Now he will tell Arjuna Yoga of action.

Thus, Krishna proceeds to tell Arjuna about the Yoga of action,
Yoga of action would free one from the bondages of action.

Thus, Krishna starts his teaching on Karma yoga.

The very first line is of great import or importance.

||Sloka 40||

नेहाभि क्रमनाशोऽस्ति प्रत्यवायो नविद्यते |
स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायतो महते भयात् ||40||

स॥ इह ( कर्मयोगे) अभिक्रम नाशः न अस्ति | प्रत्यवायः न विद्यते | अस्य धर्मस्य स्वल्पमपि महतः भयात् त्रायते ||40||

||Sloka meanings||

इह ( कर्मयोगे) अभिक्रम नाशः न अस्ति - here there is no destruction of result of action
प्रत्यवायः न विद्यते - no loss of merit
अस्य धर्मस्य स्वल्पमपि - even a little of this righteousness
महतः भयात् त्रायते- saves one from great fear.

||Sloka summary||

"Here there is no destruction of result of action. No loss of merit.
Even a little of this righteousness saves one from great fear
". ||40||

This is a classic introduction to the Karma yoga with Krishna being a master teacher.
He first talks about the benefits of Karma Yoga

Krishna says: about Karma Yoga or Yoga of action.
अभिक्रम नाशः - the 'wasted effort', is not there.
Equally important, 'प्रत्यवायो - harm', is not there

Meaning there by that in this Karma Yoga there is no question of failure once you start!
That is a very good assurance to start with!

There will be no harm or faults accruing in that process of Karma!
This is also a positive thing, since one need not be worried about doing that action which may result in possible faults.

"स्वल्पं अपि" means that if you do "even a little" -
it saves you from fear "भयात्" which is greatest concern.

Here, Krishna first laid out the advantages or usefulness or 'why' of this Karma Yoga,
before elaborating on new thought of Karma Yoga.

This is indeed important, and one needs to know this 'why' of Karma yoga.

First in Karma Yoga, one is not talking of action for action's sake.
It is about Nishkama karma
It is about actions without desiring the fruits of that action.
It is more simply about Selfless action.

When one performs action without the objective enjoying the fruits of that action, the first result is that fear vanishes.

When one acts with a desire to be fulfilled, then he becomes concerned whether what was wished for is happening or not.
The mind goes around thinking whether the anticipated action will happen or will not happen?
There would be a train of thoughts about consequences.
All of them are in anticipation!
Added to that if the action involves prohibited actions or surreptitious actions, one is wrapped around in fear of being caught!

But when one is involved in actions without the desire to enjoy the fruits of that action, there is no selfish element involved and no fear too.

Then even if that action is very small,
- स्वल्पमपि - even if that action is very small -
there will be no question of "fear" enveloping the performer.
There is no fear because there is no selfish motive involved.

When one starts on निष्कामकर्म or selfless action, there is no question of failure.
Everybody knows the purpose of that action.
It is not seen as an action to further one's own agenda.
Everybody watching knows that it is not meant for any selfish ends.

When one acts selflessly even small actions get magnified and returns are many.

When it is a selfless action then even if it hits an obstacle and stops there is no fault attributed to the doer!!

All these three are important thoughts.

So what is the pre-requisite to follow this 'Yoga of action'?
||Sloka 41||

व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः एकेह कुरुनन्दन |
बहुशाखाः अनन्ताश्च बुद्धयो व्यवसायिनाम्॥41|

स॥ हे कुरुनंदन !इह व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः एका (एव) | अव्यवसायिनाम् बुद्धयः बहुशाखाः अनन्ताश्च हि॥

॥Sloka meanings||

इह व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः एका (एव) - here only a resolute mind ( is required)
अव्यवसायिनाम् बुद्धयः - minds of the irresolute are
बहुशाखाः अनन्ताश्च हि- many branched and endless

||Sloka summary ||

"Here (for following Karma yoga) only a resolute mind is required.
minds of the irresolute are many branched and endless "||41||

To follow the path of action one needs only a resolute mind. A resolute mind with a determination for action without focusing on the results. The unsettled mind travels in infinite ways.
Effectively there is only one path to follow - a resolute mind and firm conviction.

Having stated what is required,
Krishna says something very profound in the next three slokas.

||Sloka 41-44||

यामिमां पुष्पितां वाचम् प्रवदन्त्य विपश्चितः।
वेदवादरताः पार्थ नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः ||42||
कामात्मानः स्वर्गपराः जन्मकर्म फलप्रदाम् |
किया विशेष बहुळां भोगैश्वर्य गतिं प्रति ||43||
भोगैश्वर्य प्रसक्तानां तयाऽपहृतचेतसाम् |
व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिः समधौ न विधीयते ||44||

स॥ हे पार्थ ! (सर्वेषां) व्यवसायित्मिका बुद्धिः (एकाग्रबुद्धिः) समाधौ नविधीयते | वेद वाद रताः, न अन्यद् अस्ति इति वादिनः, कामात्मानः, स्वर्ग पराः, अविपश्चितः (अविवेकः) जन्मकर्म प्रदां भोगैश्वर्य गतिं प्रति क्रिया विशेष बहुळां पुष्पितां याम् इमाम् वाचं प्रवदन्ति तया अपहृत चेतसां भोगैश्वर्य प्रसक्तानाम् (इमे) व्यवसायित्मिका बुद्धिः समाधौ नविधीयते ||41-44||

||Sloka meanings||

हे पार्थ ! (सर्वेषां) व्यवसायित्मिका बुद्धिः - O Partha,
वेद वाद रताः, - those who revel in the word of Vedas
न अन्यद् अस्ति इति वादिनः - who declare there is no other thing
कामात्मानः , स्वर्ग पराः - full of desires , seeking heaven
अविपश्चितः ( अविवेकः) - unenlightened people
जन्मकर्म प्रदां - produce births and action
भोगैश्वर्य गतिं प्रति - to acquire enjoyments and wealth
क्रिया विशेष बहुळां - many actions replete with special rites
पुष्पितां याम् इमाम् वाचं - fruitless flowery talk
प्रवदन्ति- utter
तया अपहृत चेतसां - those who have their minds captured by such talk
भोगैश्वर्य प्रसक्तानाम् - those who are attached to enjoyment and riches
व्यवसायित्मिका बुद्धिः - O Partha , the resolute mind
समाधौ नविधीयते - does not happen for concentration

||Sloka summary ||

" O Partha, those who revel in the word of Vedas and declare that there is no other thing,
those full of desires, those seeking heaven, unenlightened people who have their minds captured by flowery talk which produces births and actions, which abounds in many actions replete with special skills to acquire enjoyments and wealth, those who are attached to enjoyments and wealth, cannot have the resolute mind required for concentration."

Having said what is required is only a resolute mind, Krishna says something profound.
Here, Krishna elaborates on who will not have the required resolute mind.

They are those who get carried away by the fruitless flowery speeches.
They delight in the word of Vedas and argue that there is nothing else other than the fruit-oriented actions.
They are full of desires, consider heaven as the highest reach.
Their actions lead to the fruit of rebirth and action.
They are full of rites that yield enjoyment and riches.
Those who have given themselves to pleasure and power,
Their minds have been captured by similar thoughts.
They do not have the capability for developing a mind which leads to concentration on the ultimate reality.

Krishna uses two potent descriptions:
वेदवादरताः - people who argue Veda as supreme
नान्यदस्तीति वादिनः - those who argue that there is nothing else

" Oh Partha! Those who argue that there is no way other than the path of fruitful action as per Vedas.".
Such people will not have the resolute nature required for following the path of action without fruits.
They are unwise, wanting in discrimination.
They are enamored of the Vedic passages composed of many a praise for Gods.
They say there is nothing else beyond the words which are the means of attaining Swarga or attaining other material benefits.
They are full of desires and are always in pursuit of them.
Singular focus is thus not possible for them
In one stroke Krishna negates all the fruit related acts of Vedas.
This is profound.

When we talk of Vedas, we must realize that it is an ocean.
Vedas consists of Samhita, Brahmanas, Araanyakas, and Upanishads.
The fruit related parts are all part of the first two Samhita and Brahmanas
Araanyakas are about performing such rites in the later part of life in a forest.
Upanishads talk of higher-level spiritual activity with references to Atman, Brahman, and Moksha.
The three slokas above refer to Vedas focused on the ritual oriented Suktas and Brahmanas.
Krishna rejects that in no uncertain terms.

This is very important, but not really new.
In later part of Vedas itself we hear this.
In Brihadaranyaka Upanishad it is said that,
when one realizes truth of Atman, or Brahman, then वेदो अवेदो भवति. Vedas become no Vedas.
In effect for the one who realized what is the use of Vedas?
While what Krishna said may look revolutionary, the same was there in the Upanishads which are also part of Vedas.
The Vedas tell the seeker to go beyond and seek the truth.
That is the gist of Upanishads, and Gita as Shankaracharya stated is the essence of Upanishads.

||Sloka 45||

त्रैगुण्य विष यावेदाः निस्त्रैगुण्यो भवार्जुन |
निर्द्वन्द्वो नित्य सत्त्वोस्थो निर्योग क्षेम आत्मवान् ||45||

स॥ हे अर्जुना ! वेदाः त्रैगुण्य विषयाः | त्वं निस्त्रैगुण्यः भव | निर्द्वंद्वः भव। नित्य सत्वस्थः भव। निर्योगक्षेमः भव | आत्म वान् भव |

||Sloka meanings||

हे अर्जुना ! वेदाः त्रैगुण्य विषयाः - O Arjuna Vedas deal with three Gunas of nature .
त्वं निस्त्रैगुण्यः भव - You go beyond the three Gunas.
निर्द्वंद्वः भव- be free from all duality.
नित्य सत्वस्थः भव- be poised in eternal placidity
निर्योगक्षेमः भव - be beyond acquisition and preservation
आत्म वान् भव - and master the Self
||Sloka summary ||

"O Arjuna Vedas deal with three Gunas of nature. You go beyond the three Gunas.
Be free from all duality. Be poised in eternal placidity
Be beyond acquisition and preservation and master the Self". ||45||

To start with, Vedas are structured on processes.
The early parts of Vedas are built on the three Gunas that control people, namely Sattva, Rajo, and Tamas.
All actions are an interplay of these Gunas.
One has to beyond these three Gunas. Then only one is able to overcome the bondages.
So Krishna having told that we should not be lost in rituals, now tells Arjuna very clearly to be free of the three Gunas, 'निस्त्रैगु ण्यो भव'.
He asks Arjuna to beyond the Vedas.

He does not stop there. Krishna elaborates on what he wants Arjuna to be.

"Free of dualities, being in a state of eternal calmness, being unconcerned about personal welfare, be established in Self"

If the focus is on acquiring and preserving (Yoga- Kshama), then one will find it hard to strive for spiritual well-being.

If one is following all these, is there any use of Vedic instructions.
A Brahmana (one who achieved realization) has that much utility in Vedas
as a man has the utility of a well when there is a flood all around!
That is precisely what we hear in the sloka.

||Sloka 46||

यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः संप्लुतोदके |
तावान् सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः ||46||

स॥ उदपाने यावानर्थः सर्वत संप्लुतोदके तावान् ( अर्थः) यथा भवति, ( तथैव) सर्ववेदेषु यावानर्थः तावान् अर्थः विजानतः ब्राह्मणस्य भवति ||46||

||Sloka meanings||

उदपाने यावानर्थः - the extent of need in well ( of water)
तावान् ( अर्थः) यथा भवति- is fulfilled to that extent
सर्वत संप्लुतोदके - in a reservoir filled from all sides ( similarly)
सर्ववेदेषु यावानर्थः - the need fulfilled by all Vedas
तावान् अर्थः विजानतः ब्राह्मणस्य - gets filled by the one who has realized Brahman

||Sloka summary ||

"Just as the extent of need in well of water is fulfilled to that extent in a reservoir filled from all sides, similarly the need fulfilled by all Vedas, gets filled by the one who has realized Brahman."||46||

This Sloka has been explained in many ways. But the sum and substance of this thought is that just like there is no use for a well of water, when there is water all around, there is no need for the well of knowledge in Vedas, when one has achieved the ultimate realization. This is a restatement of the earlier Upanishadic line,'वेदो अवेदो भवति.'

||Sloka 47||

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते माफलेषु कदाचन |
माकर्मफल हेतुर्भूः माते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि || 47||

स॥ ते कर्मण्येन अधिकारः | कदाचन फलेषु अधिकारः मा | कर्म फलहेतुः माभूः | अकर्मणि ते सङ्गः मा अस्तु ||47||

||Sloka meanings||

ते कर्मण्येन अधिकारः - you have a right in the action alone
कदाचन फलेषु अधिकारः मा - not ever in the fruits of that action
कर्म फलहेतुः माभूः - Do not be impelled by the fruits of action.
अकर्मणि ते सङ्गः मा अस्तु - Do not be interested in not doing action itself.

||Sloka summary ||

"You have a right in the action alone, not ever in the fruits of that action. Do not be impelled by the fruits of action.
Do not be interested in not doing action itself." || 47||

Here, Krishna is laying down an important principle of action.
"You have right to perform action, but not the fruits of that action".
We are required to act without interest in the fruits of that action, and also avoid actions that create bondage
But this should not result in a thought process leading to no action as a safe action.
The principal idea is do not be concerned with fruits of action and not be attached to "inaction".

If we say one shall perform action without focusing on results, the appropriate question is how to perform such action?
A little more precise thought is how does one acquire the ability to perform for such action.
Krishna, ever precise in his words, gives the direction.

||Sloka 48||

योगस्तः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा धनंजय |
सिध्य सिध्योः समोभूत्वा समत्वं योग उच्यते ||48||

स॥ हे धनंजय ! (त्वं) योगस्थः सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा सिध्यसिध्योः समो भूत्वा कर्माणि कुरु | समत्वं योगम् (इति) उच्यते ||48||

||Sloka meanings||

सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा - giving up attachment
सिध्यसिध्योः समो भूत्वा - with equanimity in success or failure
योगस्थः कर्माणि कुरु - established in Yoga, perform action.
समत्वं योगम् (इति) उच्यते- equanimity is said to be Yoga.

||Sloka summary ||

"Giving up attachment, with equanimity in success or failure, and established in Yoga, perform action.
Equanimity is said to be Yoga." ||48||

Krishna tells how one may acquire the ability to perform such action
- being in a state of Yoga
- casting away the concern with results
- seeing success or failure as equal
Then one can perform action!

To remove any doubt about being in the state of Yoga in the context of his command ""योगस्थःकुरु कर्माणि -
'Perform action being in a state of Yoga', Krishna clarifies

"समत्वं योगमुच्यते" -
"Evenness is called Yoga".

That means Krishna is saying
" Maintaining equipoise in your mind, you perform action without desires"
Clearly the action with equipoise, action with wisdom is superior to the other action.
What is the inferior action?

||Sloka 49||

दूरेणाह्यवरं कर्म बुद्धियोगात् धनंजय |
बुद्धौ शरण मन्विछ्छ कृपणाः फलहेतवः ||49||

स॥ हे धनंजय ! बुद्धियोगात् कर्म दूरेण अवरं हि ( हीनं भवति) ! (तदेव समत्व) बुद्धौ शरणं अन्विच्छ | फलहेतवः कृपणाः (दीनाः) ||49||

||Sloka meanings||

बुद्धियोगात् कर्म - Action ( desiring fruits) compared to Yoga of intellect
दूरेण अवरं हि - is far inferior
(तदेव) बुद्धौ शरणं अन्विच्छ - (Hence) seek refuge in intellect.
फलहेतवः कृपणाः - those desiring fruits are pitiable

||Sloka summary||

"Action desiring fruits compared to Yoga of intellect is far inferior. Hence seek refuge in intellect.
Those desiring fruits are pitiable." ||49||

The action which is focused on results is the inferior.
The people who follow action focused on results are wretched people.
So, the action with equipoise or wisdom is superior to the inferior action focused on results.
That is what Krishna says in this sloka (2.49).
Why maintain equipoise or evenness of mind which is to say act with wisdom?
We hear the answer. The one who maintains equipoise, and acts with wisdom casts off good deeds and bad deeds in this life itself.
So devote yourself to this yoga. Yoga is efficiency in action (2.50).

||Sloka 50||

बुद्धियुक्तो जहातिह उभे सुकृत दुष्कृते |
तस्माद्योगाय युज्यस्व योगः कर्मसु कौशलम्॥50||

स॥ बुद्धियुक्तः उभे सुकृत दुष्कृते इह ( लोके) जहाति ( त्यजति) |तस्मात् योगाय युज्यस्व | कर्मसु कौशलं योगः इति उच्यते ||50||

||Sloka meanings||

बुद्धियुक्तः- imbued with intellect of equanimity
उभे सुकृत दुष्कृते - both god and evil
इह ( लोके) जहाति - discards in this world itself
तस्मात् योगाय युज्यस्व - Hence strive for yoga (of equanimity
कर्मसु कौशलं योगः इति उच्यते - Yoga is said to be skill in action

||Sloka summary||

"One imbued with intellect of equanimity
discards both God and evil in this world itself. Hence strive for yoga of equanimity
Yoga is said to be skill in action." ||50||.

When one who is possessed of evenness of mind, abandons fruits of action, he leaves good and evil in this world itself. So he is a liberated man. That means he attains Moksha.

||Sloka 51||

कर्मजं बुद्धियुक्ता हि फलं त्यक्त्वा मनीषिणः |
जन्म बन्ध विनिर्मुक्ताः पदं गच्चन्त्यनामयम्॥51||

स॥ बुद्धि युक्ताः मनीषिणः कर्मजम् फलं त्यक्त्वा जन्म बंधविनिर्मुक्ताः ( भवन्ति) | अनामयं पदं गच्चन्ती हि (च) ||

||Sloka meanings||

बुद्धि युक्ताः मनीषिणः - wise men united with intelligence of even ness
कर्मजम् फलं त्यक्त्वा - giving up fruits of actions
जन्म बंधविनिर्मुक्ताः - become free from the bondage of birth .
अनामयं पदं गच्चन्ती हि - attains that state which is free from sorrow

||Sloka summary||

"Wise men united with intelligence of evenness,
giving up the fruits of actions, become free from the bondage of birth.
They attain that state which is free from sorrow." ||51||

When one who is possessed of evenness of mind, abandons fruits of action, then free from the bondage of birth, he attains a status which is free from all sufferings That means he attains Moksha.

How is it possible? Acting with wisdom one attains mental purity.
With that mental purity, the continued devotion or action with no concern for fruits, leads to a state of evenness of mind or equanimity.
The state of evenness of mind leads to realization of Self.
Having elaborated in general terms so far, Krishna now addresses Arjuna.

||Sloka 52||

यदाते मोहकलिलं बुद्धिर्व्यतिरिष्यति |
तदा गन्तासि निर्वेदं श्रोतव्यस्य श्रुतस्य च॥52||

स॥ यदा ते बुद्धिः मोहकलिलं व्यतिरिष्यति तदा श्रोतव्यस्य च श्रुतस्य च निर्वेदं गन्तासि ( आप्नोसि) || 52||

||Sloka meanings||

यदा ते बुद्धिः - when your intellect
मोहकलिलं व्यतिरिष्यति - goes beyond the veil of ignorance
तदा श्रोतव्यस्य च श्रुतस्य च - then from that which is to be heard and which is heard
निर्वेदं गन्तासि - attains detachment

||Sloka summary||

"When your intellect goes beyond the veil of ignorance, you attain detachment from that which is to be heard and also which is heard. "||52||

Once a person attains the state of liberation, there is no more about what is to be heard or what is heard. This is akin to the Upanishad line of 'वेदो अवेदो भवति', describing the ones who attains liberation. Veda- is that one to be known. Aveda- is the one not needed to know. 'वेदो अवेदो भवति' means, 'Vedas becomes something that is not needed to be known'. This is because for the man who realized Brahman, he has already known what is taught by Vedas.

||Sloka 53||

श्रुति विप्रति पन्नाते यदा स्थास्यति निश्चला |
समाधा वचला बुद्धिः तदा योग मवाप्स्यसि॥53||

स॥ शृति विप्रति पन्ना ते बुद्धिः यदा निश्चला ( भवति) समाधौ अचला स्थास्यति ( भवति) तदा (त्वं)योगम् अवाप्स्यसि ||53||

||Sloka meanings||

शृति विप्रति पन्ना - bewildered by many texts heard
ते बुद्धिः यदा निश्चला - when your intellect becomes firm
समाधौ अचला स्थास्यति - stays unwavering in concentration
तदा (त्वं)योगम् अवाप्स्यसि - then you attain that Yoga.

||Sloka summary||

"When your mind bewildered by many texts heard, becomes firm
and stays unwavering in concentration, then you attain that Yoga."||53||

Going beyond the three Gunas, being free of the dualities, there by being beyond the happiness or sorrow, winning or losing, then being free of acquisition and sustenance, one attains an intellect drenched in equanimity. Being established in equanimity or Samatva, is said to be Yoga. If you take refuge in Samatva, you leave all good and evil here itself, attaining Moksha.
Such man has his mind firmly established.

Here Arjuna want to know more about that person established in Samatva, who attains Yoga.

||Sloka 54||

अर्जुन उवाच:
स्थित प्रज्ञस्य का भाषा समाधिस्तस्य केशव |
स्थितधीः कीम् प्रभाषेत किमासीत व्रजेत किम्॥54||

स॥हे केशवा। समाधिस्थस्य स्थित प्रज्ञस्यबाषा का ? स्थित धीः किं प्रभाषेत ? किम् आसीत ? किम् व्रजेत? 54||

||Sloka meanings||

हे केशवा। समाधिस्थस्य - O Kesava the one anchored in concentration
स्थित प्रज्ञस्य बाषा का - the man of stable wisdom how is he described?
स्थित धीः किं प्रभाषेत - a man of steady wisdom what does she speak
किम् आसीत ? किम् व्रजेत? - how does he sit? how does he walk?

||Sloka summary||

Arjuna said:
"O Kesava, the man of stable wisdom, anchored in concentration, how is he described?
a man of steady wisdom what does she speak
how does he sit? how does he walk?"||54||

Arjuna asks about "the characteristics of one who attains "Samadhi" or the one with steady mind".
in response to this request Krishna has portrayed in eighteen verses the noble and exalted character of the "Sthitapragnya."

Vinobha Bhave, the Gandhian, feels that these eighteen Slokas contain the essence of the all the chapters of Gita.
He says that the Satyagrahis in Gandhi Ashram used to recite these eighteen Slokas regularly. The Satyagrahis are to be like Sthitapragnya.
Swami Ranganathananda in his commentary on Gita also refers to these saying that in Gandhi's Ashram these slokas used to be recited every day.

Like the description of Sthitapragnya, there a few more specific descriptions in Gita. There is a description of "jivanmukta", the liberated one, in chapter five. There is a description of a Bhakta in twelfth chapter. The description of Gunaateeta, the one who has transcended the three Gunas is in the fourteenth chapter, and Jnyana nishta, one steadfastly committed to Supreme knowledge in chapter eighteenth, the last chapter.

Then Krishna takes Arjuna through the characteristics of such a person in the following Slokas.

||Sloka 55||

श्री भगवानुवाच :
व्रजहाति यदा कामान् सर्वान् पार्थ मनोगतान् |
आत्न्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः स्थित प्रज्ञः तदोच्यते ||55||

स॥ हे पार्थ ! यदा मनोगतान् सर्वान् कामान् व्रजहाति आत्मन्येव आत्मना तुष्ठः ( संतुष्ठः) भवति (तं) स्थित प्रज्ञ इति उच्यते ||55||

||Sloka meanings||

यदा मनोगतान् सर्वान् कामान् - when all desires belonging to the mind
व्रजहाति - renounces fully
आत्मन्येव आत्मना तुष्ठः - remains fully contended in the Self alone
(तं) स्थित प्रज्ञ इति उच्यते - he is called a man of steady wisdom
||Sloka summary||

"When one renounces fully all desires belonging to the mind, remains fully contended in the Self alone
then he is called a man of steady wisdom".
-
"||55||.

Krishna says, when one completely throws away all the desires of the mind, and is content with "Self" alone, then he is called "Sthitapragnya".
How do we describe a person content with Self alone?

"That person is an extraordinary person
who though he has no wealth, no power, no resources, yet is full of joy, full of cheer?
Though he has no helpers, he is infinitely strong.
Though devoid of sense pleasures, he is ever satisfied.
Though incomparable, looks upon others as his equals."
That is the joy of Atman.
Krishna continues with more.
||Sloka 56||

दुःखेष्वनुदिग्न मनाः सुखेषु विगत स्पृहाः |
वीतराग भयक्रोथः स्थितधीः मुनिरुच्यते ||56||

स॥ (यः) दुःखेषु अनुद्विग्न मनाः (यः) सुखेषु विगत स्पृहाः (यः) वीतराग भयक्रोधः (सः) मुनिः स्थितधीः इति उच्यते ||56||

||Sloka meanings||

दुःखेषु अनुद्विग्न मनाः - one with an unperturbed mind in sorrow
सुखेषु विगत स्पृहाः - one free from longing for pleasures
वीतराग भयक्रोधः - devoid of attachment, fear and anger
मुनिः स्थितधीः इति उच्यते - that monk is called a man of steady wisdom.

||Sloka summary||

"A monk, who is with an unperturbed mind in sorrow, who is free from longing for pleasures,
who is devoid of attachment, fear, and anger, is called a man of steady wisdom"? ||56||

Here is the person from whose mind the three evils namely attachment, fear and anger are gone.
He is not shaken in sorrows or hanker after happiness.
He is the man of steady wisdom.

||Sloka 57||

यस्सर्वत्रानभिस्नेहः तत्तत्प्राप्य शुभाशुभं |
नाभि नन्दति नद्वेष्टि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्टिता॥57||

स॥ यः सर्वत्र अनभिस्नेहः तत् तत् शुभाशुभं प्राप्य न अभिनन्दति न द्वेष्ठि ( भवति) तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ||57||

||Sloka meanings||

यः सर्वत्र अनभिस्नेहः - who is without attachment everywhere in all matters
तत् तत् शुभाशुभं प्राप्य - attaining those good or evil
न अभिनन्दति न द्वेष्ठि- does not hate or become elated
तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता - such a man's wisdom remains established

|| Sloka summary||

"One who is without attachment everywhere in all matters
who attaining those good or evil does not hate or become elated,
such a man's wisdom remains established." ||57||

The silent sage does not care for his own body, lifestyle etc. He is devoid of all attachments and aversion when good or evil happens to him. He neither seeks one nor shuns the other. The discriminating wisdom of such a sage, free from gaiety and depression, is stable

What is his special capability?
||Sloka 58||

यदा संहारयते चायम् कूर्मोङ्गानीव सर्वशः |
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यः तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्टिता॥58||

स॥ यथा कूर्मः अंगानि संहरयति तथैव यदा अयं (योगी) इन्द्रियार्थेभ्यः इन्द्रियाणि सर्वशः संहरते तदा तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ||58||

||Sloka meanings||

यथा कूर्मः अंगानि संहरयति - just as tortoise withdraws its limbs
तथैव यदा अयं (योगी) - similarly when this one
इन्द्रियार्थेभ्यः इन्द्रियाणि सर्वशः संहरते -
fully withdraws the organs form the objects of organs.
तदा तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता - then his wisdom remains established

||Sloka summary||

"Just as a tortoise withdraws its limbs
similarly when one fully withdraws the organs from the objects of organs.
then his wisdom remains established." ||58||

The ability to withdraw senses is that special capability.
A fasting man too withdraws from want of food, is it any different?

||Sloka 59||

विषया विनिवर्तन्ते निराहारस्य देहिनः |
रसवर्जं रसोऽ प्यस्य परं दृष्ट्वा निवर्तते ||59||

स॥ निराहरस्य देहिनः रसवर्जं विषयाः | परम् ( परमात्मन्) दृष्ट्वा रसो अपि अस्य निवर्तते ||59||

||Sloka meanings||

निराहरस्य देहिनः - for the one who does not feed on objects
रसवर्जं - excepting for taste
विषयाः विनिवर्तन्ते- objects recede.
परम् ( परमात्मन्) दृष्ट्वा - for the one who realized the Brahman
रसो अपि अस्य निवर्तते - even the taste also falls away.

||Sloka summary||

"For the one who does not feed on objects, objects recede
excepting for taste. For the one who realized the Brahman
even the taste also recedes". ||59||

"A man may fast, but still retains that taste. But for one established in wisdom, knowing the brahman even the taste is withdrawn". ||5||

||Sloka 60||

यततोह्यपि कौन्तेय पुरुषस्य विपश्चितः |
इन्द्रियाणि प्रमाधीनि हरन्ति प्रसभं मनः ||60||

स॥ हे कौन्तेय ! यततः ( प्रयत्नं कुर्वन्) अपि विपश्चितः पुरुषस्य मनः प्रमाधीनि इंद्रियाणि प्रसभं हरंति ||60||

||Sloka meanings||

यततः ( प्रयत्नं कुर्वन्) अपि- although one is striving
विपश्चितः पुरुषस्य मनः - a learned man's mind
प्रमाधीनि इंद्रियाणि - impetuous senses
प्रसभं हरंति - forcefully drive it away.

||Sloka summary||

"O Arjuna, although one is striving
a learned man's mind is forcefully driven away by the impetuous senses ". ||60||

This is the hard truth. But the man established in wisdom stands this trial.

|| Sloka 61||

तानि सर्वाणि संयम्य युक्त आसीत मत्परः।
वशे हि यस्येन्द्रियाणि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्टिता ||61||

स॥ तानि सर्वाणि संयम्य युक्तः मत्परः आसीत | हि ( यतः) यस्य इंद्रियाणि वशे तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता ||61||

||Sloka meanings||

तानि सर्वाणि संयम्य - Having all the sense organs under control
युक्तः मत्परः आसीत - one in Yoga should sit with his mind focused on Me
हि ( यतः) यस्यइंद्रियाणि वशे - the one who has his sense organs under control
तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता - such a one's wisdom is stable

||Sloka summary||

" Having all the sense organs under control, one in Yoga should sit with his mind focused on Me. The one who has his sense organs under control, such a one's wisdom is stable" ||61||

The story of one whose senses are not under control is different.

||Sloka 62-63||

ध्यायतो विषयान् पुंसः सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते |
सङ्गात् संजायते कामः कामात् क्रोधोभिजायते ||62||
क्रोधात् भवति सम्मोहः सम्मोहात् स्मृति विभ्रमः |
स्मृति भ्रंशात् बुद्धिनाशो बुद्धिनाशात् प्रणस्यति ||63||

स॥ विषयान् ध्यायतः पुंसः तेषु संगः उपजायते | संगात् कामः संजायते। कामात् क्रोधः अभिजायते |क्रोधात् सम्मोहः भवति | सम्मोहात् स्मृति विभ्रमः भवति | स्मृति भ्रंशात् बुद्धि नाशः भवति | बुद्धि नाशात् प्रणस्यति ||62-63||

||Sloka meanings||

विषयान् ध्यायतः पुंसः -for one thinking about objects
तेषु संगः उपजायते - attachment grows about those objects
संगात् कामः संजायते- from attachment grows desire.
कामात् क्रोधः अभिजायते - From desire grows anger
क्रोधात् सम्मोहः भवति - Anger leads to delusion
सम्मोहात् स्मृति विभ्रमः भवति - delusion leads to loss of memory
स्मृति भ्रंशात् बुद्धि नाशः भवति - loss memory leads to loss of intellect.
बुद्धि नाशात् प्रणस्यति- with loss of intellect he perishes

||Sloka summary||

"For one thinking about objects, attachment grows about those objects.
From attachment, grows desire. From desire, grows anger
Anger leads to delusion. Delusion leads to loss of memory
Loss memory leads to loss of intellect. With loss of intellect he perishes "||62-63||

How does desire originate?
First an object come into focus. It then occupies the mind. Having occupied the mind space, it then pushes the mind to seek the ownership. Any and all hindrances for ownership lead to anger. It does not stop with anger. Anger led to lack of discrimination. Lack of discrimination eventually leads to one destroying himself.

All of this is a consequence of the three Gunas. Krishna has earlier told Arjuna to go beyond these three Gunas.
Only when one is able to overcome Gunas, then one will attain peace.
We hear this as we go along.

||Sloka 64||

रागद्वेषवियुक्तैस्तु विषयानिन्द्रियैश्चरन् |
अत्मवश्यैर्विधेयात्मा प्रसादमधि गच्छति ||64||

स॥ (सः) विधेयात्मा रागद्वेषवियुक्तैः आत्मवश्यैः इंद्रियैः विषयान् चरन् प्रसादं अधिगच्छति ||64||

||Sloka meanings||

विधेयात्मा - one with a control of his mind
रागद्वेषवियुक्तैः - free from attraction and hatred
आत्मवश्यैः इंद्रियैः- through the senses under his control
विषयान् चरन् - while perceiving objects
प्रसादं अधिगच्छति - attains serenity.

||Sloka summary||

"One with a control of his mind, while perceiving objects through the senses under his control free from attraction and hatred, attains serenity." || 64||

' When mind is under control, the attraction and hatred lose their power. So the individual attains peace, even while interacting with objects. Once you attain peace the sorrows are destroyed. with a tranquil mind the intellect becomes stable'.

||Sloka 65||

प्रसादे सर्वदुःखानां हानिरस्योपजायते |
प्रसन्न चेतसो ह्याशु बुद्धिः पर्यवतिष्टति॥65||

स॥ प्रसादे अस्य सर्व दुःखानां हानिः( विनाशः) उपजायते | (ततः) प्रसन्न चेतसः बुद्धिः अशु पर्यवतिष्ठति ( परमात्मन् अधि तिष्ठति) || .

||Sloka meanings||

प्रसादे अस्य - with a tranquil mind
सर्व दुःखानां हानिः( विनाशः) उपजायते - eradication of all sorrows happens.
प्रसन्न चेतसः - For the one with tranquil mind
बुद्धिः अशु पर्यवतिष्ठति - the intellect is fully established

||Sloka summary||

" With a tranquil mind eradication of all sorrows happens.
Because with a tranquil mind the intellect is fully established." || 65||

||Sloka 66||

नास्ति बुद्धि रयुक्तस्य न चायुक्तस्य भावना |
नचा भावयतश्शान्तिः अशान्तस्य कुतः सुखम् ||66||

स॥ अयुक्तस्य बुद्धिः नास्ति | अयुक्तस्य भावनाच ( आत्म चिंतन) न ( भवति) | अभावयतः शांतिः च न ( भवति) | अशांतस्य सुखः कुतः ||66||

||Sloka meanings||

अयुक्तस्य बुद्धिः नास्ति - For one without the control mind there is no wisdom
अयुक्तस्य भावनाच ( आत्म चिंतन) न - one not having control cannot meditate.
अभावयतः शांतिः च न - for one who cannot meditate there is no peace.
अशांतस्य सुखः कुतः - How can there be happiness without peace?

||Sloka summary||

"For one without the control mind there is no wisdom. One not having control cannot meditate.
For one who cannot meditate, there is no peace. How can there be happiness without peace?" ||66||

||Sloka 67||

इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनऽनु विधीयते |
तदस्य हरति प्रज्ञां वायुर्न्वामिवांभसि ||67||

स॥ चरतां इन्द्रियाणां यत् (इन्द्रियः) मनः अनुविधीयते तत् ( इन्द्रियः) अस्य प्रज्ञां ( बुद्धिं) हरति हि - ( यथा ) अंभसे नावं वायुरिव हरति हि ||67||

||Sloka meanings||

चरतां इन्द्रियाणां - among wandering organs
यत् (इन्द्रियः) मनः अनुविधीयते - that organ which is being followed by mind
तत् ( इन्द्रियः) अस्य प्रज्ञां ( बुद्धिं) हरति हि -
that organ carries away his wisdom
अंभसे नावं वायुरिव हरति हि - like a boat swept away by the wind,

||Sloka summary||

" Among the wandering organs,
the organ which is being followed by mind, that organ carries away his wisdom like a boat swept away by the wind."||67||

||Sloka 68||

तस्माद्यस्य महाबाहो निगृहीतानि सर्वशः।
इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यः तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्टिता ||68||

स॥ हे महाबाहो! तस्मात् यस्य इन्द्रियाणि न्द्रियार्देभ्यः सर्वशः निगृहीतानि तस्य प्रज्ञा ( बुद्धिः, विवेकः) प्रतिष्ठिता ||68||

||Sloka meanings||

तस्मात् यस्य इन्द्रियाणि - Hence the one whose organs
इन्द्रियार्देभ्यः सर्वशः निगृहीतानि - have been everywhere withdrawn from the objects
तस्य प्रज्ञा ( बुद्धिः, विवेकः) प्रतिष्ठिता- the wisdom of such person becomes established

||Sloka summary||

"Hence O Arjuna, the one whose organs
have been everywhere withdrawn from the objects,
the wisdom of such person becomes established." ||68||

Earlier Krishna compared the man without control of senses to a boat caught up in high seas, pulled away by the winds in whatever direction. In the next Sloka, Krishna resorts to a comparison of a sage with all his senses in his control to a common man and explains the difference.
||Sloka 69||

यानिशा सर्वभूतानां तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी |
यस्यां जाग्रति भूतानि स निशा पश्यते मुनेः ||69||

स॥ सर्वभूतानां या निशा तस्यां संयमी( योगी) जागर्ति | यस्यां भूतानि जाग्रति सा पश्यतः मुनेः निशा (भवति) ||69||

||Sloka meanings||

सर्वभूतानां या निशा - that which is a night for all beings
तस्यां संयमी( योगी) जागर्ति - in that the self-controlled man remains awake
यस्यां भूतानि जाग्रति - That in which the beings are awake
सा पश्यतः मुनेः निशा- the sages see that as the dark night

||Sloka summary||

"That which is a night for all beings, in that the self-controlled man remains awake.
That in which the beings are awake the sages see that as the dark night

". ||69||

या निशा सर्वभूतानां - That which is dark and beyond comprehension for all beings
तस्यां जागर्ति संयमी - that is crystal clear as a daylight for the one who knows.
The knowledge appears dark and beyond comprehension for an ignorant one.
For the one who knows, the that appears dark and incomprehensible is crystal clear.

The knowledge of Self which appears dark and incomprehensible like dark night for one, is crystal clear like day light for a sage who knows.
By the same token that which appears as crystal clear daylight in running after wordily affairs, the one who knows realizes their futility, and it looks like a dark night for him.

||Sloka 70||

अपूर्वमाणं अचल प्रतिष्टं
समुद्रमापः प्रविशन्ति यद्वत् |
तद्वत् कामाः यं प्रविशन्ति सर्वे
सश्शान्ति माप्नोति न काम कामी॥70||

स॥ अपूर्वमाणं अचलप्रतिष्ठं समुद्रं आपः( नदी) यद्वत् प्रविशंति तद्वत् सर्वे कामाः यं ( ब्रह्मनिष्टापर योगी) प्रविशन्ति | सः शान्तिं आप्नोति | काम कामी (शांतिं) न आप्नोति ||70||

||Sloka meanings||

अपूर्वमाणं अचलप्रतिष्ठं - which is being filled up by all rives, and remains unchanged
समुद्रं आपः( नदी) यद्वत् प्रविशंति - that sea, as the river waters enter into
तद्वत् सर्वे कामाः यं प्रविशन्ति - similarly whom all the objects of desires enter
सः शान्तिं आप्नोति - he attains peace.
काम कामी (शांतिं) न आप्नोति - not the one who is desirous of objects

||Sloka summary||

" Just as the river waters enter into a sea, which remains unchanged even while being filled from all sides,
similarly one in whom all objects enter, such a one attains peace. Not the one desirous of objects". || 70||

Here, the point to be noted is that the multiple rivers with flood waters enter a sea which remains placid, in spite of the flooding rivers which enter the sea. Similarly a man who remains calm (like the sea) in spite many conflicting thoughts entering his mind is one who attains peace. The one who is desirous objects remains entangled and does not attain peace.

||Sloka 71 ||

विहाय कामान् यस्सर्वान् पुमांश्चरति निस्पृहाः।
निर्ममो निरहंकारः सशान्तिमधिगच्चति || 71||

स॥ यः पुमान् सर्वान् कामान् विहाय निस्पृहः भवति निर्ममः भवति निरहंकारः चरति सः शान्तिं अधिगच्छति || 71||

||Sloka meanings||

यः पुमान् सर्वान् कामान् विहाय - that man who rejecting all desires
निस्पृहः निर्ममः- being free from hankering, being free from attachment
निरहंकारः चरति - moves about being free of ego
सः शान्तिं अधिगच्छति - he attains peace

||Sloka summary||

"That man attains peace who rejecting all desires moves about
being free from hankering, being free from attachment, and being free of ego." ||71||

This is the summation of all that is told. The one free from hankering, attachments, and ego, moves about rejecting all desires attains peace. Simply put, he is at peace.

||Sloka 72||

एषा ब्राह्मीस्थितिः पार्थ नैनां प्राप्य विमुह्यति।
स्थित्वाऽ स्यामन्तकालेऽपि ब्रह्म निर्वाण मृच्चति ||72||

स॥ हे पार्थ ब्राह्मी स्थितिः एनां प्राप्य न विमुह्यति अन्तकाले अपि अस्यां (ब्राह्मी स्थितिं) स्थित्वा ब्रह्म निर्वाणं ऋच्छति ( अप्नोति) ||72||

||Sloka meanings||

हे पार्थ ! ब्राह्मी स्थितिः - O Partha, this is the state of Brahman
एनां प्राप्य न विमुह्यति- Having attained this , he will not be deluded
अन्तकाले अपि अस्यां ( ब्राह्मी स्थितिं) स्थित्वा - At the last moment too being in this state
ब्रह्म निर्वाणं ऋच्छति -he will attain supreme brahman

||Sloka summary||

"O Partha, this is the state of Brahman. Having attained this, he will not be deluded.
Being in this state in the last moments too, he will attain supreme brahman." ||72||

The differences between those who are on the path of spiritual enquiry having the control of senses, who reject objects and attains peace; and those who are not on that path.

For the one who attains peace, all the sorrows subside. For the one not on spiritual path no peace.
" निर्ममो निरहंकारः स शांतिमधिगच्छति" means being free from attachment, and being free of ego one attains peace.
For the one without control of senses his mind is pulled away like the boat on the high seas
For the one with control of senses, his wisdom gets established.

Elaborating on who attains peace, Krishna says the one in whom the desires subside wins the peace, not the one in whom the desires rage.

The one who moves about giving up pleasures, attachments and ego attains peace.

If one keeps practicing the control of senses, rejection of objects, attachments, the Jiva attains Brahman much like the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly.

Here, Krishna teaches Samkhya yoga, Karma yoga as well as Sannyasa Yoga.

In the real life too many a time, unable to fight the battles one will lose the will for the battle.
The indecision or inaction takes charge. The teachings of this chapter address similar situation.

The thought is that one shall not be lost in sorrow. Proceed with actions not seeking fruits of those actions in the line of one's duty. Realization of the impermanence of life weakens the grip of sorrow. Caught in a web of confusions and issues, one should stabilize one's mind by meditation. This stabilizes one's mind, providing peace and lights a way forward giving courage.

इति श्रीमद्भगवद्गीतासु उपनिषत्सु
ब्रह्मविद्यायां योगशास्त्रे
श्रीकृष्णार्जुन संवादे
सांख्य योगोनाम
द्वितीयोsध्यायः ||

||ओम् तत् सत् ||

|| Om tat sat ||

 

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