Chapter-2

CONTENTS OF GITA SUMMARIZED

THEME : Arjuna presents 5th doubt and reasons to avoid fighting. Then Arjuna gets completely confused – His relationship with Krishna changes from friend to ‘Guru-Disciple’ .

BREAKDOWN OF CHAPTER-2
  • Arjuna’s further reasons for not fighting
  • Surrenders to Krishna
  • There is no death for the soul. The body can never be saved.

Karma-kanda consciousness – By performing prescribed duties, gain material enjoyment:

  • Material gains (heaven or kingdom) from fighting
  • Material losses (infamy and sin) from not fighting

FIGHT! But without any reaction – Niskarma-karma-yoga

  • One works (karma) with knowledge (jnana)
  • Thus detached from the fruit of his work

Become fixed in Krishna Consciousness : By working in Buddhi-yoga one attains ‘material detachment’ and the ‘equipoised platform of liberation’ called Samadhi.

Summary of Chapter-2
ARJUNA’S 5th DOUBT & SURRENDER TO KRISHNA
(2.1 – 2.10) 

Text (2.1)

Sanjaya describes that Krishna sees Arjuna lamenting like an ignorant man and responds

Text (2.2-2.3)

Krishna’s response seeing Arjuna’s lamentation – Krishna condemns by following words:

  • Non-Aryan (अनार्य) (2.2)
  • Kasmalam (कश्मलम्)– implies impurities (2.2)
  • Klaibyam (क्लैब्यम्)– implies impotent (नपुंसकता) (2.3)
  • Hrdoya daurbalyam (हृदय दौर्बल्यम्) – implies weakness of heart (2.3)

Text (2.4)

Arjuna counter-argues with Krishna and tries to prove his strong heartedness by the argument that superiors are always respectable (Krishna had accused Arjuna of weak heartedness in Text 2.3)

Text (2.5)

Arjuna prefers begging rather than to live at the cost of great souls

Text (2.6) : Arjuna’s fifth argument – INDECISION

“Indecision” – Arjuna is confused whether to fight or not to fight. Arjuna is confused and indecisive based on the following aspects

If he fights:

  • He may win – Still he will not be able to enjoy without his relatives (1.31 – 1.35)
  • He may not emerge victorious in spite of so much bloodshed – No enjoyment guaranteed

If he does not fight:

  • Begging will be his only means of subsistence – For a ksatriya it is difficult and therefore no enjoyment

Text (2.7-2.9) : Arjuna’s surrender – “Krishna’s role as friend turns into guru”

1. Krishna chastises Arjuna for misplaced compassion in Texts 2.2 – 2.3

  • Calls him Non-Aryan / Impotent / Weak-hearted

2. Arjuna expresses need to surrender (2.7)

  • Confusion about duty
  • Lost all composure because of miserly weakness

3. Reconfirms complete dependence and faith (2.8)

  • No other means to drive away grief
  • Even victory or opulence cannot dispel Arjuna’s lamentation

4. Arjuna’s decision not to fight (2.9)

  • Declared by Sanjaya to Dhrtarashtra

Text (2.10) 

Sanjaya reports that Krishna smiling in the midst of both armies began to
speak

JNANA (ज्ञान) : FIGHT!
(2.11 – 2.30)

THERE IS NO DEATH FOR THE SOUL / THE BODY CAN NEVER BE SAVED

Text (2.11-2.13)

  • Krishna chastises Arjuna – The truly wise do not mistake the body to be the self. Those who are truly wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead. (2.11)
  • We are all eternal individuals – Therefore there is no cause of lamentation for change of bodies. (2.12)
  • A ‘Dhira’ is not bewildered by change of bodies from – “boyhood to youth to old-age to another body”. (2.13)
boy to youth to old age
Boyhood to youth to old-age to another body

Text (2.14 – 2.15)

1. Tolerate dualities – One should not abandon religious duties due to bodily inconveniences or transformations because:

  • Nonpermanent appearance and disappearance of happiness and distress are like appearance and disappearance of summer and winter seasons
  • They arise from sense perception
  • Learn to tolerate them without being disturbed. (2.14)

2. Focus on the higher goal of liberation and overcome dualities of happiness and distress. (2.15)

Text (2.16 – 2.18)

1. This verse gives the vision of “seers of truth” – It is the beginning of instruction by the Lord to the living entities who are bewildered by influence of ignorance

  • Of the non-existent (material body) there is no endurance
  • Of the eternal (the soul) there is no change (2.16)

2. The soul cannot be killed and the body cannot be saved from death. Therefore Arjuna should not refrain from the necessity of war (2.17-2.18)

  • This implies that the Kauravas cannot escape death even if Arjuna does not kill

Text (2.19 – 2.21)

1. The soul can neither kill nor is killed. (2.19)

2. Clearly delineates the eternality of the soul (2.20)

  • Similar verse in Katha Upanisad
  • Soul is unborn, eternal, ever existing and primeval (सबसे प्राचीन)

3. How can a person who knows that the soul is indestructible, eternal, unborn and immutable kill anyone or cause anyone to kill. (2.21)

Text (2.22): Analogy – For the soul, death is simply a change of clothes.

Rebukes Arjuna’s lamentation that Bhishma and Drona will lose their current bodies, which are the source of enjoyment – Krishna establishes that they will get fresh bodies.

Text (2.23 – 2.25)

Characteristics of Soul

1. Unbreakable & insoluble (2.24)

  • Can never be cut into pieces by any weapon, nor moistened by water (2.23)

2. Neither be burned nor dried (2.24)

  • Nor burned by fire, nor withered by the wind (2.23)

3. Soul is eternally the same – He is everlasting, present everywhere, unchangeable, immovable (2.24)

4. Soul is invisible(अव्यक्त), inconceivable(अकल्पनीय) and immutable(अपरिवर्तनीय) (2.25)

Text (2.26 – 2.28)

Why lament?

1. If you think that the soul [or the symptoms of life] will always be born and die forever, you still have no reason to lament. (2.26)

2. Death is certain and after death one is sure to take birth again. (2.27)

3. All created beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their interim state, and unmanifest again when annihilated (2.28)

Text (2.29 – 2.30)

1. Amazing 

  • Some look on the soul as amazing
  • Some describe him as amazing
  • Some hear of him as amazing
  • Others, even after hearing about him, cannot understand him at all (2.29)

2. Conclusion of Jnana 

  • Soul is indestructible, do not lament (2.30)
KARMA-KANDA – FIGHT!
(2.31 – 2.38)

BY PERFORMING PRESCRIBED DUTY – GAIN MATERIAL ENJOYMENT

Text (1.31-1.37)

Benefits of Fighting (which is the prescribed duty in this case) (2.31 – 2.32)

1. Fighting gives ‘real enjoyment’ in all ways

  • WIN : You get an unrivaled kingdom on earth
  • LOSE : You go to the heavenly planets

2. Refutes Arjuna’s arguments of “Loss of Enjoyment” as mentioned in Texts 1.31 – 1.35

Losses by avoiding the prescribed duty of fighting – (2.33 – 2.37)

1. Losses by avoiding fight are

  • Sin & Infamy – Not fighting and avoiding the prescribed duties will be the real sin and cause of infamy (2.33)
  • Dishonour – “For a respectable person dishonour is worse is death” (2.34)
  • Ridicule – “Your enemies will laugh at you, saying that you ran away” (2.35 – 2.36)

2. Refutes Arjuna’s arguments of “Fear of Sinful Reactions” as mentioned in (1.36)

Text (1.38)

Fight for the sake of fighting, WITHOUT considering happiness or distress, loss or gain, victory or defeat.

 BUDDHI YOGA — FIGHT!
(2.39 – 2.53)

FIGHT! BUT WITHOUT ANY REACTION – NISKAMA KARMA YOGA

Text (2.39)

1. Sankhya-yoga (analytical study of body and soul) was explained in (2.11 – 2.30) to bring one to the platform of Buddhi-yoga (working without fruitive results) 

2. Benefits of acting in Buddhi-yoga – One can work but still remain free from bondage of works (No need to avoid work, if you desire to avoid reaction)

NOTE: Buddhi yoga or Niskama Karma yoga or Karma yoga are synonymous & used interchangeably.

Text (2.40 – 2.41)

Characteristics of Buddhi-yoga :

  1. There is no loss or diminution in this endeavor
  2. A little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear (2.40)
  3. Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose
  4. Intelligence of those who are irresolute is many branched (2.41)

Text (2.42 – 2.46) : Buddhi-yoga vs Karma-kanda

  1. Karma-kanda mentality is condemned as less intelligent path and is compared to “fools getting attached to the poisonous flowers of a tree” (2.42 – 2.43)
  2. Material opulence and sense gratification are the two OBSTACLES to Krishna consciousness (2.44)
  3. Buddhi-yoga is transcendental to Vedic Karma-kanda rituals (2.45 – 2.46)

Text (2.47) 

1. You have a right to perform your prescribed duty

2. Perform prescribed duties without attachment to the fruit. Why?

  • Because attachment to result implies: “you are also the cause”
  • If you become the cause – you are also entitled to enjoy or suffer the result

3. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities

4. Nor be attached to NOT doing your duty (2.47)

Text (2.48 – 2.49) 

1. Definition of Yoga 

  • As per translation – To perform duty equiposed without attachment to success or failure
  • As given in purport – To concentrate mind on Supreme by controlling ever disturbed senses (2.48)

2. Reject all abominable actions and act in buddhi-yoga – Arjuna is recommended to keep all abominable activities (fruitive actions) far distant (2.49)

Text (2.50 – 2.53)

5 Benefits of acting in Buddhi-yoga

  1. Freedom from good and bad reactions (2.50)
  2. Freedom from cycle of birth and death (2.51)
  3. Indifferent to Vedic rituals (2.52)
  4. Realisation of relationship with Krishna as eternal servitor (Samadhi) (2.53)
  5. Goes back to Kingdom of God (2.72)
STHITA-PRAJNA (STAGE OF SAMADHI) 
(2.54 – 2.72)

SYMPTOMS OF A SELF-REALISED PERSON (ONE ACTING IN BUDDHI-YOGA)

Text (2.54)

Arjuna asks 4 questions as to how to recognize a self realized soul or ‘Sthita-prajna’ (One in divine consciousness)

  1. General symptoms (Answered in 2.55)
  2. How does he speak (Answered in 2.56-2.57)
  3. How does he sit (Answered in 2.58-2.59)
  4. How does he walk (Answered in 2.64-2.71)

Text (2.55)

1st question “General description and characteristics of a self-realized person”

  1. He gives up all material desires of sense gratification born of mental concoction
  2. Thus purified in mind one finds satisfaction in the self alone

Text (2.56 – 2.57)

2nd question – How does he speak?
This question implies: “How the intelligence and words respond to affection, anger and neutrality”

  1. Equipoised in happiness and distress (2.56)
  2. Free from attachment, fear and anger (2.56) Because
  3. Unaffected by good & evil and firmly fixed in perfect knowledge (2.57)

Text (2.58 – 2.59)

3rd question – How does he sit?
This implies “How he restrains his senses and mentality”

  1. Answer: He uses his senses only for Krishna’s service. Based on higher taste he can control his senses
  2. Anology: Tortoise and Devotee – Implies to keep senses always in service of Lord and withdraw the senses when not required (2.58)

Text (2.60 – 2.63)

Dangers of Arjuna’s plan to go to the forest, to practice Jnana & meditation, trying to avoid fighting and its apparent sinful reaction.

  1. Power of senses – Strong and impetuous – Carry away the mind of even a man of discrimination (2.60)
  2. “Steady Intelligence” defined – One who restrains his senses, keeping them under full control & fixes his consciousness upon ‘Me’ (Krishna) (2.61)
  3. While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them ⇒ lust develops ⇒ anger arises ⇒ complete delusion arises ⇒ bewilderment of memory⇒ intelligence is lost ⇒ one falls down again into the material pool. (2.62 2.63)

Text (2.64 – 2.72)

4th question “How does he walk?”

1. He exhibits freedom from attachment and aversion (2.64)

  • Only concern – Satisfaction of Krishna / Direction of Krishna
  • How such consciousness can be achieved – Causeless mercy of the Lord

2. He attainments the Lord’s mercy (2.65)

  • Freedom from three-fold miseries
  • Intelligence is soon well established

3. Mind peaceful and happy – (Lack of goal – causes disturbance in mind) (2.66)

4. He enjoys life – Because he utilizes everything in Krishna’s service and accept prasadam (2.63 purport)

5. Attains peace – Because he attains real desirelessness (2.66, 2.71)

  • Analogy: Rivers and ocean (2.70)

6. Attains Brahman – Because devotional service is not different from being in spiritual world (2.72)

  • E.g. Ambarish Maharaja and Haridasa Thakura
  • Analogy: Night for materialist / Day for devotee (2.69)
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